Lindelof an option for DM?

Jaqen H'ghar

I can't drive...55
Joined
Aug 26, 2015
Messages
1,409
You have named 2 players here, both attacking. You cant just take a player who has been trained at a certain position for 10 years and expect him to adapt to a position. There is a reason why defenders tend to mature later than attacking players, in defence its your ability to read the game and also your positional awareness that often makes the difference, both of which usually take time.
These same attributes, along with passing ability are vital for a good DM.

Not sure about Lindelof, but I always felt it's where Blind would have been best.
 

OleGunnar20

Full Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2018
Messages
2,158
I reckon he'd make a tidy right-back. Obviously the last thing we need right now and I'm certainly not advocating it, I just think he'd suit RB better than CB or DM.

Don't find him convincing and see him as a squad player long term personally, but he seems a tidy guy and maybe he can suprise us all and really kick on. Heres to hoping eh.
 

tenpoless

Full Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2014
Messages
16,176
Location
Fabinho's forehead
Once upon a time, Phil Jones was a DM. Maguire and Lindelof are our main CBs.

Indeed. It's time to unleash the beast once more.
 
Last edited:

Sandikan

aka sex on the beach
Joined
Mar 14, 2011
Messages
52,710
Play him in a position where you have to be better on the ball, with less time?

Not for me Alan!

He's either got the strengths to play at centre back or he hasn't (and the jury is still massively out there), and if he hasn't we need to ship him off, not put him elsewhere!
 

Sandikan

aka sex on the beach
Joined
Mar 14, 2011
Messages
52,710
I reckon he'd make a tidy right-back. Obviously the last thing we need right now and I'm certainly not advocating it, I just think he'd suit RB better than CB or DM.

Don't find him convincing and see him as a squad player long term personally, but he seems a tidy guy and maybe he can suprise us all and really kick on. Heres to hoping eh.
He might have made an adequate full back in the days they were primarily about defending, but can you imagine him bursting up and down the flank?
 

poleglass red

Full Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2015
Messages
3,702
I actually don't find him very good in possession. He did okay last season in a bad back 4, but put better defenders next to him in Bissaka and Maguire and he looks increasingly awkward. He does that annoying thing that Johnny Evans did, where when he has the ball he stands still with his arms out in front of him as if no-one ahead of him is moving. It's still early days in a new back 4, but I don't see what he gives us. He's not quick, he's not physical and he's not great on the ball contrary to what we were told before he came to us.I think his game is more suited to games in europe, where we have seen him play some of his better games. I don't think he's a starter for us, squad player at best, but Ole mustn't be seeing anything else from the other lads in training.
 

stevoc

Full Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2011
Messages
19,836
Young - LB/RB - Wouldn't happen anywhere else.
Valencia - RB - While he became decent there it was just a cop out so the club didn't have to spend and went on far too long.
Mata - RW - Never has been good out there.
Rojo - LB - Same as Mata

No doubt there is more but this was quickly off the top of my head.
Darmian - every position.
 

youngrell

Full Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2016
Messages
3,544
Location
South Wales
Lindelof isn't even that good on the ball. Maguire has already shown him up when it comes to playing the ball forward in the little time he's been here.
 

Random Task

WW Lynchpin
Joined
Feb 7, 2010
Messages
34,503
Location
Chester
The sheer number of players either brought or shoehorned into the role, but ultimately were not good enough, is hard to fathom. Rio, Shneiderlin, BFS, Matic, Jones, Blind, Periera, Fred among others I've failed to recall.

A football club with our resources should not be struggling to find quality in that area. No excuses.
 

0le

Full Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2017
Messages
5,806
Location
UK
No thanks. Lets buy or promote a player who plays in that position instead.
 

Annihilate Now!

...or later, I'm not fussy
Scout
Joined
Nov 4, 2010
Messages
49,673
Location
W.Yorks
I mean someone on here said we should use Lingard there as an option instead of Matic... so in that world, yeah why not.

In a normal world however...
 

Mike lowe

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Sep 7, 2019
Messages
4
Victor needs to up his game this season because opposition team hv discovered his areal weakness and I am scared they will continue to harness that loophole. If we want calmness in that defence, I currently don't see Jones replacing Victor. Smalling had one of the best areal duels stat but he is gone to italy. Maybe Axel( 1.85m), shorter than Victor (1.87) anyway. Another thing is: does Axel have the aggression of Victor?
 

OleGunnar20

Full Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2018
Messages
2,158
He might have made an adequate full back in the days they were primarily about defending, but can you imagine him bursting up and down the flank?
Yeah that's a good point, maybe not then. I can imagine him being a bit Darmian-esque (Who I didn't hate personally, just felt he was far too defensive).
 

amolbhatia50k

Sneaky bum time - Vaccination status: dozed off
Joined
Nov 8, 2002
Messages
95,336
Location
india
I don't think he's good enough on the ball. He shows glimpses here and there but I dont think he's been exceptional on the ball in his time here. And passing seems to be very limited.
 

DWelbz19

Correctly predicted Portugal to win Euro 2016
Joined
Oct 31, 2012
Messages
33,743
I've just realised that Jonny Evans and Lindelof are actually very similar players. For some reason this has shocked me.
It's a decent comparison, actually.

Evans had a higher peak - actually winning PL titles, mind.
 

Lee565

Full Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2019
Messages
4,978
Just cant see it with lindelof, he's not the most mobile players and has real lack pace that we would see the same issues we have with matic of the opposition being able to just breeze past them.

I would have much rather had seen matic sold and darmian kept and used a dm, he had decent pace, good defensively, good balance and mobility, ok on the ball if you want someone to keep it simple though he did have it in him to produce good cross field passes but even so the likes of partey, wanyama and even dier aren't great on the ball , his positional sense always seemed good and knew how to follow a tactical plan from how Mourinho would use him off the bench when defending leads.

Whilst there is no reason to consider such a thing at the moment, I reckon Bissaka would be a bit of a beast at dm, could you imagine how many interceptions he would make in that position.
 

Hip Hop

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Aug 31, 2019
Messages
72
Location
France
Can we stop with his supposed passing ability or quality on the ball? This is such a myth. He is the Cleverley of defenders.

We need him on the bench. That's it.
 

golden_blunder

Site admin. Manchester United fan
Staff
Joined
Jun 1, 2000
Messages
119,442
Location
Dublin, Ireland
Victor needs to up his game this season because opposition team hv discovered his areal weakness and I am scared they will continue to harness that loophole. If we want calmness in that defence, I currently don't see Jones replacing Victor. Smalling had one of the best areal duels stat but he is gone to italy. Maybe Axel( 1.85m), shorter than Victor (1.87) anyway. Another thing is: does Axel have the aggression of Victor?
A fukin wheelie bin would have the aggression of victor
 

pocco

loco
Joined
Mar 17, 2010
Messages
22,095
Location
Keep a clean shit tomorrow, United is my final bus
Tuanzebe has actually played a DM type role for us in the last game of the 16/17 season vs Crystal Palace, where he played really well.

I think he'd be a better fit there, but I'm not a big fan of playing him all over the place and would rather play him where we see his future being, which is probably at CB.
Came on in midfield again yesterday. Glad that he got game time but i hope he doesn't become a player that is shunted around the pitch, he needs to be played where he is best and where his future lies.

Still, interesting that Ole, like Jose, sees this role as an option-in for him.
 

Sultan

Gentleness adorns everything
Joined
Sep 1, 2004
Messages
48,569
Location
Redcafe
Jones should be ahead of Lindelof at CM if he's ever fit, and only in extreme circumstances. Sir Alex played him in that position a number of times, notably against Madrid. Thinking about it, Jones would be better than Matic in his present form.
 

Dan_F

Full Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2012
Messages
10,317
Came on in midfield again yesterday. Glad that he got game time but i hope he doesn't become a player that is shunted around the pitch, he needs to be played where he is best and where his future lies.

Still, interesting that Ole, like Jose, sees this role as an option-in for him.
I feel like it might have been for corners and set pieces mainly. With such little time left in the game it made sense not to change to 5 at the back.
 

2 man midfield

Last Man Standing finalist 2021/22
Joined
Sep 4, 2012
Messages
45,667
Location
?
I’d like to see either him or Tuanzebe tried at DM. We obviously need one with a bit more legs than Matic, and McTominay is wasted there imo. I’d say they both have the passing range to play there.
 

davidmichael

Full Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2015
Messages
3,373
I’d rather we didn’t keep moving players into positions that aren’t the ones they play naturally and actually sign players or bring through players to play in their specialist position, Lindelof and Tuanzebe are centre backs so shouldn’t play anywhere else other than if we have an injury crisis.

You’ve got Rice and N’Didi both at clubs who would sell for the right price and both players better than anything we have in that position so if Fred isn’t up to playing there and Garner isn’t yet ready then sign someone who is rather than filling the role with someone who needs time to learn how to play a new position, Lindelof needs games alongside Maguire for their partnership to gel.
 

Kerry Donaghy

New Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2015
Messages
671
Location
Bessbrook
Supports
Celtic
Really interesting shout this.
One thing I've always thought about him is he does at least look very comfortable on the ball.
I genuinely think this is worth a shot.
 

sideshow_bob

Full Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2018
Messages
738
Supports
Healthy nutrition
I vote no

This has got to stop. It was stupid when we played O Shea there, or Rafael or Phil Neville there

This is just as bad if not worse. Such a huge club should be able to afford a specialist for such an important role. It's just absurd that we have to consider Lindelof or Tuanzebe/Rojo even.
 

Okey

Full Member
Joined
May 11, 2017
Messages
2,426
Hells No! Lindelof's ability on the ball is way overrated. Not that good on it to be honest. Looks good when comparing with Smalling. Blind is super comfortable with a ball at his feet. A disservice to compare him with Lindelof in that department. That pass between the lines, flat on the ground, out from the back that Blind makes accurately several times a game, and only Maguire can make in our current back line, that's the first requirement for being called comfortable on the ball as a defender in my humble opinion.
 

poleglass red

Full Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2015
Messages
3,702
It's a decent comparison, actually.

Evans had a higher peak - actually winning PL titles, mind.
Evans was better on the ball than Lindelof, but yes they both struggle against physical players. Evans ability on the ball was very underrated.
 

Alabaster Codify7

New Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2015
Messages
6,553
Location
Wales
A fukin wheelie bin would have the aggression of victor

Quoted for truth. For the most part he's a neat and tidy CB who is slightly above average at passing - but he lacks any kind of physical aggression or power. Must be a real pleasure to play against if you're a big, bruising CF with limited skills. Just rough-house him, the mistakes will come.
 

TheRedHearted

Full Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2016
Messages
2,633
Location
New York, NY
I hope and predict Bially will displace him. I think with the right management he can partner Maguire perfectly.
As for victor there with a midfield of Pogba and Mctominay, could very well work. I do have faith in Fred being the missing key to the midfield.

So yea, Bially and Fred missing links to me.
 

gr3yham3

Full Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2016
Messages
1,182
Tuanzebe has actually played a DM type role for us in the last game of the 16/17 season vs Crystal Palace, where he played really well.

I think he'd be a better fit there, but I'm not a big fan of playing him all over the place and would rather play him where we see his future being, which is probably at CB.
Said this before, but I think Axel will be a monster of a DM if he is played and developed there. He has the physicality, pace, passing and reading of the game to do superbly in that position. As mentioned, he played DM for us against Palace and that was a few years ago. He would be much better now. Didn't Yaya Toure play CB as a youth at Barca before playing as a DM/CM later on?