Maguire and Lindelof Partnership

Sandikan

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Yesterday we got it particularly wrong as the full backs were both bombing up.
If you play Magelof together then you have to really pick your runs as a full back.

We all still have hope Bailly might "do a Shaw" and go from mixed form and loads of injuries to suddenly putting in brilliant form regularly.
 

Leftback99

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Maguire would get ripped to shreds on here if he gives the penalty away Dias did earlier.
 

bsCallout

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He's keeping him onside, nothing else really matters in that situation as being offside ends his attack.
I don't know why you assume the striker wouldn't keep himself onside, he is facing him doing exactly that.
 

bsCallout

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if he steps up hes offside. The striker is moving in the opposite direction :lol:
You really don't think a striker holds his run? It was a decent line and the striker held his run well. Maguire then takes him down the side where he kicks it straight at DDG who gives them an opportunity out of nothing.
 

Ekeke

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You really don't think a striker holds his run? It was a decent line and the striker held his run well. Maguire then takes him down the side where he kicks it straight at DDG who gives them an opportunity out of nothing.
You can hold your run, you are much less likely to run backwards. If Maguire moves forward the only way he can stay with him is moving backwards which obviously he wouldnt.
 

bsCallout

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You can hold your run, you are much less likely to run backwards. If Maguire moves forward the only way he can stay with him is moving backwards which obviously he wouldnt.
I can't believe we're really debating a CB being less than a foot behind the rest of the back line tracking back to intercept and trying to make out that makes him a bad defender because the forward held his line well yet was ultimately pressured into an alley with no option other than to kick it at the GK.
 

Dve

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Yesterday we got it particularly wrong as the full backs were both bombing up.
If you play Magelof together then you have to really pick your runs as a full back.

We all still have hope Bailly might "do a Shaw" and go from mixed form and loads of injuries to suddenly putting in brilliant form regularly.
The thing is, we have very little to go with when it comes to Bailly. Would he able to play 20 games without doing howlers? Honestly, it doesn´t feel very comfortable watching Bailly put under pressure.

We do lack a bit of pace at the back (although Lindelöf is actually not that slow), but Lindelöf and Maguire are quite stable, they seldom make clear cut mistakes, like giving the ball away in dangerous positions. When we defend badly, it´s not always the fault of the back line. On Everton´s second goal yesterday, e.g. you have to put a lot of blame on the midfielders not picking up Rodriquez just inside the box. I mostly blame Fred for that, but Fernandes could have picked him up as well. The same happened against Sheffield United.
 

Ekeke

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I can't believe we're really debating a CB being less than a foot behind the rest of the back line tracking back to intercept and trying to make out that makes him a bad defender because the forward held his line well yet was ultimately pressured into an alley with no option other than to kick it at the GK.
We arent. Its obvious that Maguire played him on and is accountable for that
 

Sandikan

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The thing is, we have very little to go with when it comes to Bailly. Would he able to play 20 games without doing howlers? Honestly, it doesn´t feel very comfortable watching Bailly put under pressure.

We do lack a bit of pace at the back (although Lindelöf is actually not that slow), but Lindelöf and Maguire are quite stable, they seldom make clear cut mistakes, like giving the ball away in dangerous positions. When we defend badly, it´s not always the fault of the back line. On Everton´s second goal yesterday, e.g. you have to put a lot of blame on the midfielders not picking up Rodriquez just inside the box. I mostly blame Fred for that, but Fernandes could have picked him up as well. The same happened against Sheffield United.
Lindelof feels like Maguire lite to me, and with very little aerial ability.
They just don't complement each other at all.

However, like you say we simply can't rely on Bailly. And I'd add in that Tuanzebe is absolutely hapless too and I see him being a Palace type player in a season or two.

Jones has long ceased being any sort of option, and I truly don't even know if Rojo is still with us injured again, or out on loan somewhere.

Either way we need to properly invest there in the summer if we can find a good option.
 

Striker10

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Yesterday the issue is that they don't respect the fact that this had been going on all season. When we're 2-0, we shouldn't get carried away. We played fine. We had the game won. We should have been professional and focus on the points. Our defense is a liability. We played fine for the most part but we need better game intelligence. I go back to an interview I saw with Maguire earlier in the season where he acted surprised that in all the away games I think it were, we keep going behind. He's the captain. He needs to wake up and be more demanding of his team. We forget that they could easily have got a goal before half time. We need to get the balance right Ole was unlucky with the sub. It's sods law. But if you have a situation to defend...you've got to defend properly. That's got to come from the captain. All season, defensively we've let in so many goals that could have been avoided. I don't want to see my captain clueless. So I hope Ole makes Bruno captain next season because Maguire is not a worthy captain for me.

He's getting all the brunt. De Gea also but it's an issue now because Henderson reminds me a tad of De Gea. We need to think. Because when you think of our great defenses, you had Schmichael and Van Der Saar. They need to do something because it's curtailed our season
 

bsCallout

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We arent. Its obvious that Maguire played him on and is accountable for that
I'm more than happy with my CB sometimes playing a forward onside(when he is less than 1 foot behind the rest of his back line), especially when he then closes down the options to that striker.
 

Dve

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Lindelof feels like Maguire lite to me, and with very little aerial ability.
They just don't complement each other at all.

However, like you say we simply can't rely on Bailly. And I'd add in that Tuanzebe is absolutely hapless too and I see him being a Palace type player in a season or two.

Jones has long ceased being any sort of option, and I truly don't even know if Rojo is still with us injured again, or out on loan somewhere.

Either way we need to properly invest there in the summer if we can find a good option.
Rojo just signed for Boca Juniors.

Summed up, we need a centre back. I don´t think anyone would argue with that. Or ever two, unless Mengi or Bernard show enough this season to earn a place in the squad. And I´m not giving up in Tuanzebe, btw, I thought he looked very promising last season before he got injured. But he needs games, cause he looks rusty as hell.
 

Sandikan

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Rojo just signed for Boca Juniors.

Summed up, we need a centre back. I don´t think anyone would argue with that. Or ever two, unless Mengi or Bernard show enough this season to earn a place in the squad. And I´m not giving up in Tuanzebe, btw, I thought he looked very promising last season before he got injured. But he needs games, cause he looks rusty as hell.
He just seems one of those unlucky players. Own goals, defensive howlers, yesterday's recklessness.
 

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Better and more resolute defending today. Set pieces and crosses are a big issue though. Nervous everytime a cross come into the box.
 

Leftback99

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In their defence:
I wonder how we'd look with a solid DM in front of them. Like Rice tonight.
 

Adnan

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In their defence:
I wonder how we'd look with a solid DM in front of them. Like Rice tonight.
Rice won't change the CBs being any less busier than the City duo. It's a question of controlling the game and City do that by adopting a front foot approach.
 

Leftback99

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Rice won't change the CBs being any less busier than the City duo. It's a question of controlling the game and City do that by adopting a front foot approach.
Maybe, I'd probably say a Carrick type would be better than a pure DM but until we control/solidify the midfield I think any new CB being talked up for the Summer will be exposed here.
 

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Maybe, I'd probably say a Carrick type would be better than a pure DM but until we control/solidify the midfield I think any new CB being talked up for the Summer will be exposed here.
I agree somewhat and the the double pivot of Fred and McTominay are just not good enough on the ball and we must do better in those roles if we want to sustain attacks IMO.

I also think a CB who can dominate the channel in 1v1 scenarios would really benefit us and allow us to play a more expansive game.
 
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#07

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Ropey. Panic when pressed. Very lucky Antonio didn't play today.
 

A-man

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I can agree with a few points, but overall that was a very shallow and amateurish analysis.

I agree with the obvious; the PL winner often concede few goals (even though last time United won the PL, Rio, Vidic, et al conceded more than Maguire /Lindelof). I also agree that Lindelof would be better suited at Liverpool.

What I disagree with is the common opinion that because Maguire is slow, and Lindelof is not fast, they are poor together as partners. Theoretically I guess it makes some sense, but if this was true in reality, they would concede a lot of goals in open play. But they don’t. It’s actually the opposite. They conceded least goals in open play of all teams in the PL last season. This season the pair has conceded 19 goals of which around 8 goals were in open play in 17 PL matches. Roughly one every second game. Hardly any of those were because Maguire was slow and Lindelof was too slow to cover for him.

Also this idea that if Maguire’s partner is super fast we can play a very high line, it is naive. Neville wants a fast partner that should cover behind Maguire AND also press up high. It doesn’t work like that. We saw how super speedy Upamecano couldn’t keep up with Salah and Mane yesterday. And that was when he was covering only behind himself, imagine him covering for others. You can to some extent use a speedy defender to cover for a slow, but not if that CB also is going to push high up.

If we want to improve defence, number one is to sort out the organisation at corners and other set pieces. A speedy CB would not add anything there.
 

KrasHammerhand

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The duo unfortunately are not strong enough together to really take us to the next level. It puts us in a difficult spot as I think this issue is more pressing than a right forward.

I would like to see Bailey be able to stay healthy for 5-6 games then in the summer bring in a new Centre Back.
We can then sell one of them, I would prefer Maguire as he is older but we will definitely lose money on him.
 

croadyman

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The duo unfortunately are not strong enough together to really take us to the next level. It puts us in a difficult spot as I think this issue is more pressing than a right forward.

I would like to see Bailey be able to stay healthy for 5-6 games then in the summer bring in a new Centre Back.
We can then sell one of them, I would prefer Maguire as he is older but we will definitely lose money on him.
I am just speechless that Rosie & Jim are still starting every important league game for this team
 

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Ole needs to be questioned about his constant picking of this crap duo. Lindelöf needs to be moved.. Hope we could get him exchanged for a proper player in the summer.
 

croadyman

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Ole needs to be questioned about his constant picking of this crap duo. Lindelöf needs to be moved.. Hope we could get him exchanged for a proper player in the summer.
Yeah there is zero leadership with this pair but Ole is like Mr Magoo when it comes to them
 

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Has to be Bailly over Lindelof as much as possible for the rest of the season. Yes Bailly has his flaws too, perhaps enough that they're roughly equal individually. But Maguire and Bailly make a much more natural partnership. And Bailly is better for our attacking play too, because he doesn't waste five seconds every time he's on the ball looking for a long pass to Rashford which will come off one time in five and lead to a goal once in every ten games... he just moves it forward quickly and decisively and leaves the attacking football to the attacking players.
 

croadyman

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Has to be Bailly over Lindelof as much as possible for the rest of the season. Yes Bailly has his flaws too, perhaps enough that they're roughly equal individually. But Maguire and Bailly make a much more natural partnership. And Bailly is better for our attacking play too, because he doesn't waste five seconds every time he's on the ball looking for a long pass to Rashford which will come off one time in five and lead to a goal once in every ten games... he just moves it forward quickly and decisively and leaves the attacking football to the attacking players.
Yeah totally agree he isn't the perfect choice but after just discarding Axel for a MOTM performance in Paris which has clearly crushed his confidence then I tend to think this is the next best partnership we can field
 

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Ole needs to be questioned about his constant picking of this crap duo. Lindelöf needs to be moved.. Hope we could get him exchanged for a proper player in the summer.
Who would you have picked for that game?
Would that have changed the result?
 

croadyman

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Who would you have picked for that game?
Would that have changed the result?
I would have played Lindelof & Maguire last thurs and brought Bailly in to partner Harry tonight, for me it's not about changing the result but about wanting us to deliver a better performance and we look more assured with Eric there
 

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Yeah totally agree he isn't the perfect choice but after just discarding Axel for a MOTM performance in Paris which has clearly crushed his confidence then I tend to think this is the next best partnership we can field
Yep. Also I'm hoping Tuanzebe might start against Sociedad. Maybe an opportunity to repeat the Paris performance and give Solskjaer something to think about.
 

A-man

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I would have played Lindelof & Maguire last thurs and brought Bailly in to partner Harry tonight, for me it's not about changing the result but about wanting us to deliver a better performance and we look more assured with Eric there
Ok. Even if it seems popular to dislike the partnership Lindeof/ Maguire, it is easy to understand Ole. First, he could never build anything with Bailly. He has been available for matches 20% of his 5 years at United. Secondly, we have lost only two matches in the league with Lindelof/ Maguire, last time was Arsenal in November. United have scored 3 or more goals in 10 PL matches this season. All 10 of them were with this “limited” partnership of Lindelof/Maguire that some claim need protection and make us play defensive football.
 

JustAGuest

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Ok. Even if it seems popular to dislike the partnership Lindeof/ Maguire, it is easy to understand Ole. First, he could never build anything with Bailly. He has been available for matches 20% of his 5 years at United. Secondly, we have lost only two matches in the league with Lindelof/ Maguire, last time was Arsenal in November. United have scored 3 or more goals in 10 PL matches this season. All 10 of them were with this “limited” partnership of Lindelof/Maguire that some claim need protection and make us play defensive football.
For all calls to drop Lindelof on here it's interesting that in the 6 league matches he has missed this season we have picked up half of our total losses (2).
 

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For all calls to drop Lindelof on here it's interesting that in the 6 league matches he has missed this season we have picked up half of our total losses (2).
Yes, results point in another direction than some seem to think.
 

Dve

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When discussing the Maguire/Lindelöf partnership, and whether Bailly should have been playing more, I think we should consider the advantage of having two centre halves that are used to playing next to each other. There has been periods this season where you got the feeling that Bailly was about to break into the team, just for him to get injured yet again.

While Lindelöf was playing his worst football before Christmas, Bailly was out 44 days between Oct 18 and Dec 1. Then he was out again twice in January, together 9 days. Then he was out for 10 days between Feb 3 and Feb 13. Then another 8 days between March 17 and 28, and finally 20 days between March 31 and April 20.

That´s hardly a great platform for establishing a new, stable CD pairing.