Our transfer strategy of the past 5 years has been abysmal. Blind for sure was one our better purchases and could easily still be of good use for us.
Daley Blind | Ajax Performances
- Thread starter MyOnlySolskjaer
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
I understand what you mean, because when he's playing well, blind can make things look effortless, aspecially with that left foot of his. His slow acting speed (I don't know the correct English word for it) just breaks him up at the top level. He can't consistently handle the tempo in a physically demanding league like the prem. At the moment I can see why United fans would want him back, because he's at least creative and able to open up the play with a pass, but in this United team he'd drown all the same.
Though to be fair, he was your most handsome player.
There can be no doubt you would prefer to see Blind start in CD ahead of Lindelof, Jones and Rojo and CDM in front of Fellaini. Unfortuantely he was not 6ft+ so Mou didnt want him
I get what you mean. Though, as I admittedly keep going on about, despite his physical limitations his lack of speed and strength were never really an issue. When deployed as a LB, pacy wingers rarely got the better of him, and as a CB big CFs never really did either. Even at CB his speed wasn't an issue because Smalling was excellent at sweeping up balls played in behind the defence. They made an excellent partnership - our best since prime Rio/Vidic, imo. I remember the build-up to an Everton game where a lot were predicting Lukaku to have him on toast, only for Blind to keep him quiet the whole game. He was a very smart player.
The only problems I remember having with Blind were when he was played as a CM and he got too eager with his pressing, leaving the midfield too open.
Yes!
Sadly, with him gone, we've dropped down in the handsome league, which is what really matters.This thread is turning into a reminiscing Blind thread.
Yeah, he's very limitied physically, and what's impressive about that is he didn't let those hold him back. He used his footballing intelligence to make up for it. It's exciting watching him play. One of my favs ever. His creative tries didn't always came of, but when it did, it's so exciting. Could even make the exciting moves and unexpected play that can make you feel wow Our games is exciting when he plays. His reading of the game, technical skills and set-play are impressive. Defensively, he gets the job done. Rarely heard of him losing aeriel duels.. which is weird. Plays like orchestra conductor/deep playmaker whether he's playing CDM, CB or LB. Pleasure.
Not without faults though. He does tend to press too much too high when playing as CDM and LB, leaving big spaces to be exposed behind. His consistency is also questionable. Was hoping he would succeed Carrick, but alas. Sadly, even if he's one of my favs, he's just not good enough to be our starter and him leaving is justified. Fun while it lasts. Glad he's doing well at his home club.
Yeah, he's very limitied physically, and what's impressive about that is he didn't let those hold him back. He used his footballing intelligence to make up for it. It's exciting watching him play. One of my favs ever. His creative tries didn't always came of, but when it did, it's so exciting. Could even make the exciting moves and unexpected play that can make you feel wow Our games is exciting when he plays. His reading of the game, technical skills and set-play are impressive. Defensively, he gets the job done. Rarely heard of him losing aeriel duels.. which is weird. Plays like orchestra conductor/deep playmaker whether he's playing CDM, CB or LB. Pleasure.
Not without faults though. He does tend to press too much too high when playing as CDM and LB, leaving big spaces to be exposed behind. His consistency is also questionable. Was hoping he would succeed Carrick, but alas. Sadly, even if he's one of my favs, he's just not good enough to be our starter and him leaving is justified. Fun while it lasts. Glad he's doing well at his home club.
I get what you mean. Though, as I admittedly keep going on about, despite his physical limitations his lack of speed and strength were never really an issue. When deployed as a LB, pacy wingers rarely got the better of him, and as a CB big CFs never really did either. Even at CB his speed wasn't an issue because Smalling was excellent at sweeping up balls played in behind the defence. They made an excellent partnership - our best since prime Rio/Vidic, imo. I remember the build-up to an Everton game where a lot were predicting Lukaku to have him on toast, only for Blind to keep him quiet the whole game. He was a very smart player.
The only problems I remember having with Blind were when he was played as a CM and he got too eager with his pressing, leaving the midfield too open.
Yes!
That last sentence.Agree with everything else you say.
Agree with everything else you say.
Likewise with your posts! You're especially spot on about this becoming a "reminiscing Blind thread", ha. I feel like that's my fault so I do apologise because I really need to let go now that he's gone.
Not a surprise to see the Dutch having more reasonable opinion on him than the serious overrating of our fans.
Tbf a lot of Dutch people have a big dislike for Blind. He plays for the most disliked club in the country, his father played for that club too and is in the board. He isnt a exciting player to watch and he recently had some bad games for the national team.Not a surprise to see the Dutch having more reasonable opinion on him than the serious overrating of our fans.
He isnt good enough for a top Manchester United but in this team he wouldnt have looked out of place.
It’s come down to this I see. Blind isn’t good enough and lacks physicality to play in the Premier League, clear for everyone to see. And because he wasn’t playing much due to these obvious reasons, he wanted to leave and step down a level or two. What’s next? Missing Evans and Welbeck too? Perhaps Mkhitaryan?
Yeah, Blind gets way more flack than he deserves over here I agree. I personally like him, but he's really not as good as people in the last few pages of this thread are saying. He wouldn't make this United team better at all.
Always liked Blind. Good footballer.
Had a good match in midfield, where he belongs in my opinion.
He showed he can play in the PL under LVG, hes just not a good fit for a Jose side. The physicality part is just lazy
No one is arguing that Blind is the best defender in the world - just that he was either the 2nd or 3rd best CB at United.
That's why he should not be allowed to leave. Jones, Lindelpf, the non blossomed bailly & injury prone rojo are below him. Unfortunately they maybe taller than him for Jose.
That's why he should not be allowed to leave. Jones, Lindelpf, the non blossomed bailly & injury prone rojo are below him. Unfortunately they maybe taller than him for Jose.
Exactly. It's not like he has a mind of his own or anything, and decided he'd rather wanted to be an undisputed starter at his boyhood club than a squad player at a bigger one.
Wish him well but at Man Utd level he was the poster boy for the averageness of so many post Fergie signings.
I don’t think anyone is saying his the answer it’s more of a reaction to Jose comments of our defenders not having the technical ability to play from the back, while letting Blind leave in the season and rarely using him in that capacity.
That would be Fellaini
I thought Blind and Ajax as a whole was great last night, they really should have won, but Ziyech was on totally different class, looks almost unstoppable
Haven't you read this place lately? Apparently he's amazing these days. Oh standards how I miss you and long for your return.
On Blind, I like him, he's a good player but never more than a squad option. I actually think in a functioning, winning top side, he would be a good option to have.
My fav Blind spells were that CB partnership with Smalling,
him being LB last season at the start
and him being DM in that 442 diamond we had under LVG for nearly 2 games where we scored 7 or 8 goals lol
him being LB last season at the start
and him being DM in that 442 diamond we had under LVG for nearly 2 games where we scored 7 or 8 goals lol
I don't think hes a top top player but the idea he couldn't handle the premier league is lazy. He was very good in the premier league for us under LVG playing CB with Smalling. Dispelling the notion that playing in the premier league is all about physicality and speed. Its a shame we have a manager that now prioritises height, and strength over technical ability.
Its not just Blind, but you can see the same with Pereira this season.
This whole aspirational bollocks sounds great but we are nowhere near challenging for the league, let alone the CL.
Players regularly get torn apart because "they would have to leave if we have serious aspirations", yet John O'Shea chipped in his fair share over a decade.
Same goes for Fellaini as the symbol of anti-football. He clearly can be useful and occasionally wouldn't mind him in the first XI. You just don't build your team around him and him being a regular would be worrying (and still, not his bloody fault so no reason to constantly attack him).
I didn't mind to see him leave because he was rotting on the sidelines. We clearly weren't using him at all. Not even as backup.
Blind is a good player. I like him most on CDM. I believe he could have made it here, if things went differently. I wonder if he would have come here if he knew LVG would use him mostly as a wingback. He shouldnt have.
who said he was slow? he can outrun kimmich 
also can give a decent pass
also can give a decent pass
Biggest compliment I can give this guy is that i always keep him when i play fifa 17, and prefer to sell the others
Thing about Blind is he is an intelligent player, so he can prosper with a bit less pace and a bit less bulk.
Hard not to be a favourite when you make Liverpool look shite.
Always liked Blind but what's the purpose in missing him really? We see cries about having too many average players so we cry about another who's not at the club... Strange.
Would far rather Blind than any of our current CB options.
Always felt he was massively under rated due to lacking physicality, which leads to the likes of Jones/Smalling being over rated.
Always felt he was massively under rated due to lacking physicality, which leads to the likes of Jones/Smalling being over rated.
This. He probably would get back in our squad if he was here but he's not good enough to be a starter for United long-term.
If he would play in matches instead of Jones in recent months I would be way more happy.
Clear out is a way of getting rid of weakest links, not getting rid of one of few who can calm things down on the pitch. We made a clear mistake and we're paying the right price for it.
Exactly - getting rid of Blind didn't make us better; it made us worse.
There are worse players currently at United - never mind Blind being the 2nd best CB at the club in terms of performances; he also had the ability to cover fullback & CM - so why we sold him instead of Jones, Lindelof, Rojo is annoying.
Our best goal would have been to replace Jones for a starting fullback & keep blind as our secondary fullback or the extra fullback we play in a back 3-what Jose has made herrera, matic & fellaini do.
Selling Blind made our squad weaker by having to utilise absolute lost defenders instead - we surprisingly lost a team ability to remain calm under pressure - something Blind would do quite well.
You know what... we could even sell Blind if people really hate that much the idea of having squad player with ball control ability and actual brain in tight situations, but selling a valuable player before securing someone close to power house of defending in Alderweireld was a pinnacle of dumbf*ckery from the officials, especially now when Rojo ceased to exist from any squad option whatsoever.
On top of that let's keep Darmian so we can pay him every week for shits and giggles. What a waste of everybody's time.
Agreed about Jones but don't think we would have been so much better with Blind either. We should aim higher than both of them imo.
What's up with Rojo btw?
I agree with you but Jose didn’t. If Blind was here this season, I don’t think he would have played a single minute for us - he wasn’t rated by the manager and would have only played on a (multiple players unavailable) crisis. He was the right player for LVG, and I thought he was excellent in his season at CB, but there was no point in him staying any longer under Jose. Best for all parties for him to have been sold.
Rojo ? He's dangerously steering on path of Jones with being half fit and half ready to make a one proper decision on the pitch despite his undeniable talent.
I fear the worst as the player is already 28 years old but what choice do we really have ? He supposedly won with his another injury but I'm not even surprised Jose doesn't trust in his fitness level just yet.
More trouble than actual service.