Darmian generally plays very well for Italy NT and obviously was very good in Serie A. I think it might just be a simple case of United being too big of a stage for him.
Daley Blind fears Manchester United could sell him in the summer
- Thread starter Tom Van Persie
- Start date
He is a brilliant squad player...we should keep him. But he isn't a JM type player thou...
I think that's his best position, but he's never been given game time there. And I doubt Jose will ever use him as a midfield option.
We have better CB's, and TFM and Tuanzebe coming through, we will surely sign a LB soon. His route to the first team will rely on a LOT of injuries if he stays.
He is likeable, good on the ball, always fit and a solid 6/10 performer.
Would be happy to keep, wouldn't be gutted if he went. If he was sold and we didn't sign a LB and Young/Darmian had a dip in form I'd be seriously concerned for our LB area, so I would sell only if we can replace him.
Be interesting to see how he went at CDM though, I think he'd do ok
Never got a chance at CDM. Feel for him, but we have this Matic guy for the next two or three years. Time to KIM, my guy.
Whether Darmian and Blind leave depends on if we get an offer for them, but we won't make much out of the sales of Darmian, Blind, Shaw and Wilson.
I think Mata is likely to leave as well and I think we'll make up to four incomings: LB (probably Rose), AM (probably Ozil), CM (Carrick/Fellaini replacement with McTominay and Pereira being cover) and maybe an RB. I can see the first three happening but not sure we'll see an RB coming in as we've not been linked with anyone.
Blind is a disaster at CDM, he doesnt have the physicality, mobility or engine to play there. LVG tried him at CDM for a few games and it was obvious Carrick was the better player. That's a Carrick that was well past his best and finishing his career.
Just because you can hit a decent pass doesn't mean you can make it at the top level as a CDM. At the top level you need the all round package.
Just because you can hit a decent pass doesn't mean you can make it at the top level as a CDM. At the top level you need the all round package.
Good tidy footballer that is a useful squad player but I feel his physical attributes let him down. He’s not strong or fast and that hurts us at time.
Mentally, he’s one of our best most intelligent footballers. He’s got decent technique as far as passing and crossing goes too. Basically he’s a LVG player.
I think he could do well as a squad player at Barca. I’d like him to stay here as we can’t afford to be short of options. Shaw and Darmian are probably off. Young is probably gonna be off. Then who are we left with? We need a new LB and Blind can fill in at LB/CB/CDM if needed.
Mentally, he’s one of our best most intelligent footballers. He’s got decent technique as far as passing and crossing goes too. Basically he’s a LVG player.
I think he could do well as a squad player at Barca. I’d like him to stay here as we can’t afford to be short of options. Shaw and Darmian are probably off. Young is probably gonna be off. Then who are we left with? We need a new LB and Blind can fill in at LB/CB/CDM if needed.
I can't see why we'd sell him. He's hardly one of our highest earners, and he's pretty good back up left back and can do a job in multiple positions and most importantly is nearly always fit and available. That's not what you call dead wood.
Nah, Mourinho loves him and I can see him being fine with a squad role. He'll likely be the backup LB to Rose.
Jose already showed his answer vs Watford. He chose Darmian over Blind in matchday squad. IMO this decision makes sense.
Darmian is better in term of defence. In typical Premier League matches , he could be a very good choice when the team needs someone with special man-marking attribute. Darmian always has in himself Italian defence factor. Yes his attacking skills is not good for a decent fullback, especially the unstable crosses (i totally do not understand why he couldnt bring any some bright crosses from NT back to club), but at least he stands out in one aspect - fully focusing on defence and do acceptably job. The team can benefit from it at certain points.
With Blind everything is somewhere on the average. His defence is 6, so does his attacking skills. I would rather go with Darmian because of his 7.5 defence although his attacking is may be just 5.
Yes i also know Blind is good at tactical mind. But is it something decisive when coming to definition of a good defender? I dont think so. His movement is also too slow to play midfield role in Premier League.
I dont think Blind is bad player. Just the thing this league is not suiting for him. He can be someone useful in La Liga strong teams
Darmian is better in term of defence. In typical Premier League matches , he could be a very good choice when the team needs someone with special man-marking attribute. Darmian always has in himself Italian defence factor. Yes his attacking skills is not good for a decent fullback, especially the unstable crosses (i totally do not understand why he couldnt bring any some bright crosses from NT back to club), but at least he stands out in one aspect - fully focusing on defence and do acceptably job. The team can benefit from it at certain points.
With Blind everything is somewhere on the average. His defence is 6, so does his attacking skills. I would rather go with Darmian because of his 7.5 defence although his attacking is may be just 5.
Yes i also know Blind is good at tactical mind. But is it something decisive when coming to definition of a good defender? I dont think so. His movement is also too slow to play midfield role in Premier League.
I dont think Blind is bad player. Just the thing this league is not suiting for him. He can be someone useful in La Liga strong teams
Let the culling commence....
Chop off Shaw's first
With any luck
feck right off, you don't get so many games under Sir Alex by being shit. O'Shea never did hit the heights people expected him to after his first season, but he was one of the best example of a player who always did their best when called upon despite practically being called upon to play at every single position in his United career.
Jose would kill to have O'shea in the team right now.
Personally I'd keep him as long as he's happy to stay in the role he is now. He provides decent cover across a few positions, which is incredibly useful.
We need a squad not a team.
He's got tidy technique. And he can spot a pass is you give him a few seconds to survey the pitch. But on the flipside, he's got the physical attributes of a 40 year-old, and he lacks the football intelligence to make instant passes or position himself well in defence.
You can get away with being slow if you're clever positionally. You can get away with having poor game-reading skills if your quick. But you can't get away with being both slow and bad at anticipating the play at the very top level. Unfortunately, that describes Blind.
He's LvG in player-form.
You can get away with being slow if you're clever positionally. You can get away with having poor game-reading skills if your quick. But you can't get away with being both slow and bad at anticipating the play at the very top level. Unfortunately, that describes Blind.
He's LvG in player-form.
I always think it's interesting that fans are quick to label players who want to leave as traitors or similar, but if the player wants to stay and the club wants to leave the usual consensus is "get out!".
Not saying it's the case here, but it's a general observation that I feel people should think about when somebody wants to leave a club and gets abuse for it.
edit:
Just to clarify, lots of people want him to stay it appears.
Not saying it's the case here, but it's a general observation that I feel people should think about when somebody wants to leave a club and gets abuse for it.
edit:
Just to clarify, lots of people want him to stay it appears.
I’d say the perfect player to cover for matic when he needs a rest.
I really don't think he's done a massive amount wrong in his role as a squad player. For my money he's far better than Darmian and gives us good depth in a few positions. With that said, he probably suffers from not being good enough to really make an impression in any one postition while being good enough to be a rotation option in a couple of positions, which leaves him in no man's land a bit.
I'd get rid of a quite a few other players before I'd move him on, but equally I wouldn't like to see him as a starter for us every week.
I'd get rid of a quite a few other players before I'd move him on, but equally I wouldn't like to see him as a starter for us every week.
We need someone else who can pass the ball occasionally not just run around like a headless chicken
I agree for the most part but don't you think he made an impression at CB? In van Gaal's last season he made that spot his own (alongside Smalling) but José hasn't played him there once if I recall. Now, with Bailly, Jones, Rojo and Smalling all doing well there (+ Lindelof finding his groove) I can understand José not playing him (though, when we play 3 at the back, I think he'd be a good option) but I was disappointed that he was never given a shot there last year after impressing under Louis.
I've never seen any evidence of Blind being an above average passer of the ball, let alone better than Herrera, but each can choose to believe what they want.
He’s been one of our most reliable centre halves in recent years. He plays in the wrong country. Football followers can’t get their head around him being a good centre half, so have decided that he’s too slow and short to do it regardless of what happens.
So many times before certain games I’ve read how much of a liability he will be against x striker, and it has almost never materialised, apart from that fateful final game at Upton Park perhaps, where he got beaten in the air by Antonio I think (who has beaten many in the air). I’ve seen him outfox many taller and quicker forwards, but observers will make the same assessment due to him not looking like Terry Butcher it whatever their ideal of a centre half looks like.
So many times before certain games I’ve read how much of a liability he will be against x striker, and it has almost never materialised, apart from that fateful final game at Upton Park perhaps, where he got beaten in the air by Antonio I think (who has beaten many in the air). I’ve seen him outfox many taller and quicker forwards, but observers will make the same assessment due to him not looking like Terry Butcher it whatever their ideal of a centre half looks like.
What are you talking about?
He was played there by Jose in the tail end of last season when all the injuries to CBs hit. He played the Europa League semi finals and the final as a CB. I distinctly remember how poor he looked against Vigo where he couldn't win a header or a 50/50 and we were crapping ourselves every time they attacked. He was the weakest link in that defence.
It's not that he hasn't played there under Jose. It's that he played and looked poor.
Shame he wasn’t a couple of inches taller or a little bit quicker
It's the right decision,if we buy a new LB then it's pointless to keep him in the squad...
I think it would be better to keep Darmian as cover and sell both Shaw and Blind, if we are buying a new LB. Darmian can defend at least.
We dont need him as a CB anymore and we will probably sign a player for the left.
Not sure that's true at all. He's quite clearly a decent central defender but he's not a top level one and it's got nothing to do with his size or stature. There have been plenty of games when, put under a lot of pressure, he's made some poor errors or been caught out, either by an opposition's pace or physicality. His reading of the game at the back when he's got time and space on the ball is solid but when he's put under pressure his positioning isn't always great. I remember someone saying one time that he sometimes plays as a centre-back as if he's a midfielder and that's probably correct. Upton Park's far from the only game in which he's been caught out.
Still, reliable squad player who I'd like to see us hang onto.
I did say "if I recall" so I wasn't stating anything as fact. I just don't remember him playing there!
The one time I remember him playing as a CB (now that you mention it) was in the final against Ajax. I thought he was brilliant that night.
I like Blind. He's a good CB and that is currently his best position. I think his most natural is DM, but he never plays there. I don't rate him as a LB at all.
I don't really see a role for him with this Untied squad as there are better options at every position he can play. He's only an emergency CB under Jose, so he's at best 2nd choice LB (which he's terrible at) and I'd probably rate Darmian (ouch) better at LB anyway.
I don't really see a role for him with this Untied squad as there are better options at every position he can play. He's only an emergency CB under Jose, so he's at best 2nd choice LB (which he's terrible at) and I'd probably rate Darmian (ouch) better at LB anyway.
He was brilliant - just because the fans are capping themselves over a mistake he never makes - he is deemed rubbish.
What I absolutely love is how
A) Lindelof was apparently bought for a back 3 formation with the additional protection of that formation
B) Blind is not afforded that protection whilst he has yet to make many if any goal scoring opportunities at CB. Plus he is probably the most attacking minded CB if we are supposed to play 3 CB that is theoretically something we should be utilising or having in the squad atleast.
This is exactly why he is perfect for the 352 formation - you need an attacking minded CB in between the back 3; if not all the time then atleast some of the time/when needed. This is why he shouldn't be sold.
Jose is no permanent fixture - but the 352 isn't going anywhere; its part of our squad & selling Blind is detrimental to United & any future manager we decide to bring who plays football in a different way to José.
Big mistake if he is gone - José can make some poor transfer outs; that's for sure.
If Spurs didn't have Dier who is another attacking CB; Blind would be an absolute Bast*rd for them.
I agree. I think he'd excel in a back 3 - especially as our CBs get quite a bit of space and Blind could exploit that with his brilliant passing. We just have to hope Lindelof comes good (good signs recently!) because José's going to stick with him over Blind.
It is a tough call in a way, but only because there are other players we might want to sell who play a similar position.
I've always felt that at least two from Darmian, Shaw, Blind, and Young would be sold this coming Summer. That will probably end up being right still. However, it depends who we're signing and how many. You'd expect given his current form, if he can continue it most of the season, then Ashley Young stays as the second option for Left Back and another option for Right Back. Fosu-Mensah would be back, but if Jose is following his same plan with Tuanzebe then he'd be on loan. Full Back options would be New LB/Young and Valencia/Fosu-Mensah. Possible we'd sign a RB as well, or just not loan out Tuanzebe.
Lots that can happen, but I do think there is a big chance Blind goes.
I've always felt that at least two from Darmian, Shaw, Blind, and Young would be sold this coming Summer. That will probably end up being right still. However, it depends who we're signing and how many. You'd expect given his current form, if he can continue it most of the season, then Ashley Young stays as the second option for Left Back and another option for Right Back. Fosu-Mensah would be back, but if Jose is following his same plan with Tuanzebe then he'd be on loan. Full Back options would be New LB/Young and Valencia/Fosu-Mensah. Possible we'd sign a RB as well, or just not loan out Tuanzebe.
Lots that can happen, but I do think there is a big chance Blind goes.
One of those who'd be a good squad player to keep around from United's point of view. Covers a few positions if needs be (LB, DM, CB), understands the game well, works hard and a great professional. Unfortunately, key flaws prevent him being a regular first-teamer in any of those positions and he may want more regular football, in which case United should probably sell and use that money to re-invest.
He's no Carrick but he's definitely above average. I like Herrera and at his peak he's good but he's been pretty poo this year. Time to give someone else a chance
I've always thought he could be very handy against shit teams at OT parking the bus, where he can do a good enough job at CB and also be able to ping forward passes unopposed. If Lindelof can establish himself then I guess that he can do that.