Maybe Lindelof isn’t the problem...

Schmeichel's Cartwheel

Correctly predicted Italy to win Euro 2020
Joined
Dec 21, 2014
Messages
11,420
Location
Manchester
I’m just saying... people love to shit on Lindelof, and a lot of people have been calling for Maguire/Bailly to start, well Lindelof hasn’t put a foot wrong & these two had a disasterclass today. Harry has been completely embarrassed twice now in 4 games.

I’m not shitting on Harry, but our fans need to be more consistent. Keep the same energy you have for Lindelof when it’s Maguire or Bailly, because I’m seeing blatant agendas against Victor at the moment.

Our best CB on current form. I pray he’s fit because the thought of Bailly terrifies me.
 

DWelbz19

Correctly predicted Portugal to win Euro 2016
Joined
Oct 31, 2012
Messages
33,741
Even if he wasn’t — he’s not our captain and worth £80m.

He’ll be replaced first.
 

El Zoido

Full Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2013
Messages
12,259
Location
UK
Give him more time, and maybe have someone better alongside him would help. Rio made a few mistakes like this when he first joined.
 

T00lsh3d

T00ly O' Sh3d
Joined
Mar 20, 2014
Messages
8,281
I think Ole said something about him having a dodgy back today? Not sure if I heard it correctly. He was clearly being targeted but I thought he dealt with it ok in the first half
 

Bubz27

No I won’t change your tag line
Joined
Aug 17, 2009
Messages
21,502
It was a dodgy 5 minutes compounded by DDG and Matic as well. You can not judge anything of that.
 

Schmeichel's Cartwheel

Correctly predicted Italy to win Euro 2020
Joined
Dec 21, 2014
Messages
11,420
Location
Manchester
Give him more time, and maybe have someone better alongside him would help. Rio made a few mistakes like this when he first joined.
I’m not saying drop Maguire, I’m just saying let’s be a bit less bias. Lindelof should not lose his place because Maguire is underperforming. Lindelof has been very good for the majority of the season & it’s clear that a proportion of our fan base seem to have agendas against him.
 

Keefy18

Full Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2018
Messages
2,653
Just posted it on the Maguire thread, I felt Vic had a very good half and it was Harry who wasn't switched on and got completely mugged for their first goal.

Disappointed with Ole taking Vic off and not Harry.

Captain or not he should set an example.

If the captain can make errors and not be punished then it sends a terrible message.
 

Cassidy

No longer at risk of being mistaken for a Scouser
Joined
Oct 2, 2013
Messages
31,029
Just posted it on the Maguire thread, I felt Vic had a very good half and it was Harry who wasn't switched on and got completely mugged for their first goal.

Disappointed with Ole taking Vic off and not Harry.

Captain or not he should set an example.

If the captain can make errors and not be punished then it sends a terrible message.
Lindelof got injured according to Ole
 

RedDevilCanuck

Quite dreamy - blue eyes, blond hair, tanned skin
Joined
Feb 22, 2007
Messages
8,396
Location
The GTA
No he heads everything around him and can carry the ball well and pass good.

He is slower than molasses in the middle of January and not great against pacy and tricky attackers but he needs a quick partner.

Lindelof is not a good partner and doesn't offer enough besides his decent positioning and reading.
 

golden_blunder

Site admin. Manchester United fan
Staff
Joined
Jun 1, 2000
Messages
119,433
Location
Dublin, Ireland
How can you say he’s best on current form? Maguire was brilliant in his previous few games, even scoring and delivering captain’s performances.

lindelof hasnt made an error and somehow we’ve been able to cover his passive defending since project restart. Doesn’t mean I don’t want him replaced, I do because he’s a glaring weak spot in the first team.
 

AFC NimbleThumb

Full Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2019
Messages
8,280
I can’t help but think we would be in a better or position this season had we kept Smalling & signed Bruno + an established RW in the summer.

Lindelof & Maguire are both secondary CBs who need someone to sweep up their lapses; you pay £30mil for that kind of CB not £80mil - he isn’t the problem.
 

Man-United

Full Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2003
Messages
16,208
I think Ole said something about him having a dodgy back today? Not sure if I heard it correctly. He was clearly being targeted but I thought he dealt with it ok in the first half
Yes, he felt his back. Hope it's not going to end up like with Rio when he had all the back troubles. Seem to remember Lindelof being out before with same injury this season.
 

Keefy18

Full Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2018
Messages
2,653
Lindelof got injured according to Ole
Makes sense so. Didn't hear the post match interview.

Thought Vic was very good today myself.

I don't trust Harry at all in a 1v1 myself. You'd see the titanic turn quicker.
 

Paul_Scholes18

Full Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2014
Messages
13,891
Lindelöf has been our best defender this season in my view. Do not understand why he get so much shit. He does the simple things right most of the time.
 

King Andow

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jan 6, 2014
Messages
1,172
Location
Brazil
Leave it, man. Swedish man weak and bad. He has to be there to save his partner when he gets megged in his own box or destroyed in a simple 1v1. The pass that led to their 2nd goal, that's on Lindelöf too.
 

Kag

Full Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2013
Messages
18,875
Location
United Kingdom
There isn’t a problem.

Our problem was the inability to put the football in the net in line with our rivals; it looks like we’ve made steps to address this somewhat.

The defence continues to concede goals in line with our rivals and has largely done so under three successive managers. Sort of like the way we used to concede goals and make defensive errors under Ferguson. It happens. It only becomes a problem when you score less league goals than Bournemouth, which has been the case in previous years.

And no, I’m not suggesting we can’t improve defensively. But we’re really rather good. Every goal we’ve conceded since the resumption of play has been something of an individual error and I’d like to think we’ll cut them out.
 

ivaldo

Mediocre Horse Whisperer, s'up wid chew?
Joined
Nov 15, 2012
Messages
28,699
We don't have a problem. The issues people have with our defense is massively overstated.
 

Cassidy

No longer at risk of being mistaken for a Scouser
Joined
Oct 2, 2013
Messages
31,029
You cant have 2 slow CBs. One needs to have pace preferably both in an aggressive attacking side. Thats what Rio was saying if you listened to the whole thing.
Given we already had Lindelof Maguire was the wrong signing
 

Zoo

Full Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2010
Messages
29,715
I don’t see the point in reactionary threads like this, your second one today btw. We have a good defensive record. Maguire has had a good debut season, one in which he has taken on the responsibility of captaincy too. He had a poor game today but nothing more needs to be read into it.
 

ivaldo

Mediocre Horse Whisperer, s'up wid chew?
Joined
Nov 15, 2012
Messages
28,699
You cant have 2 slow CBs. One needs to have pace preferably both in an aggressive attacking side. Thats what Rio was saying if you listened to the whole thing.
Given we already had Lindelof Maguire was the wrong signing
We've had 2 slow CBs all season and they've been doing just fine.
 
Joined
Feb 12, 2018
Messages
19,776
You cant have 2 slow defenders. One needs to have pace. Thats what Rio was saying if you listened to the whole thing
I did listen to the whole thing, what’s the issue with me posting this? Some posters may not have seen it.
 

Random Task

WW Lynchpin
Joined
Feb 7, 2010
Messages
34,503
Location
Chester
How can you say he’s best on current form? Maguire was brilliant in his previous few games, even scoring and delivering captain’s performances.

lindelof hasnt made an error and somehow we’ve been able to cover his passive defending since project restart. Doesn’t mean I don’t want him replaced, I do because he’s a glaring weak spot in the first team.
Frustrates me to no end how easily this is forgotten.

Similarly, Mctominay and Fred were practically carrying this team before Bruno arrived, now they're being shit on in the matchday thread because they look a little rusty after a 3 month layoff.
 

Reditus

Lineup Prediction League Winner 2021-22
Joined
Aug 10, 2019
Messages
5,479
He has done well to turn around his pretty awful start at the club, he look so out of his depth it was scary. So he has overcome that. But we have to be realistic. He is nothing special and is the easiest to replace. A new top central defender is now a priority
 

ivaldo

Mediocre Horse Whisperer, s'up wid chew?
Joined
Nov 15, 2012
Messages
28,699
A more concise summary of what I said. Absolutely right.
Nah. I love a bit of prose. Just read yours and you touch on some decent points, and make the distinction that just because we could still improve defensively, doesn't mean our defense isn't up to scratch.
 

Berbasbullet

Too Boring For A Funny Tagline
Joined
Nov 3, 2011
Messages
20,030
Frustrates me to no end how easily this is forgotten.

Similarly, Mctominay and Fred were practically carrying this team before Bruno arrived, now they're being shit on in the matchday thread because they look a little rusty after a 3 month layoff.
Memory’s are very short, completely agree, Maguire has had a decent first season.
 

TheNewEra

Knows Kroos' mentality
Joined
Jan 20, 2014
Messages
8,133
Maguire can take too many touches of the ball sometimes but he's much more assured on the ball, Lindelof can't pass and he isn't quick enough to partner Maguire.

It's not that Lindelof is bad, it's just he isn't at the level needed to challenge for EPLs and CLs.

Lindelof would make a fine squad player, but not a starter.

My issue with Lindelof is besides defensively he offers nothing, and at a top club given how the game is now, you need to be able to pass and play from the back.

When I say about passing I mean probing balls to find a midfielder in between the lines, or a ball to release a winger on the far side.

If teams are doing a high press you need to be able to punish them releasing wingers or probing to find a midfielder, you can't just do a square 4 meter pass like Lindelof does.

In games that United are really tested (top 4) and in Europe, Lindelof doesn't meet the standard that you would want, nor does Bailly.

Until the end of the season Lindelof is the best pairing, but to win leagues there needs to be a top top player to partner Maguire.

Bailly and Lindelof are great squad players, that is about it.
 

charlenefan

Far less insightful than the other Charley
Joined
Aug 17, 2005
Messages
33,052
Doing just fine if battling for 4th is good enough sure
We've only let in 7 more than Liverpool who have scored 14 more than us, I think we can see where the bigger issue has been this season
 

Cassidy

No longer at risk of being mistaken for a Scouser
Joined
Oct 2, 2013
Messages
31,029
Yeah because GA is the column that stands out when you look at the table...
As we move to being a more aggressive attacking team and take up more attacking positions on the pitch it costs us. Which is the point Rio was making.
We have been quite cautious in attacking earlier in this season keeping more balance. We wont be able to be as aggresive as we can especially in bigger games without some pace in the backline.

Surely you know that GA isnt the only indicator of this
 

Roughseas

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Aug 5, 2015
Messages
41
Lindelof’s best attributes are his passing and his consistency, even if its not at a world class level. Bailly excels at many other things, including improving on Lindelof‘s passing, but consistency is his achile‘s. When Bailly finds consistency he is world class Without a doubt.
 

UNITED ACADEMY

New Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2018
Messages
13,127
Supports
Erik ten Hag
I’m just saying... people love to shit on Lindelof, and a lot of people have been calling for Maguire/Bailly to start, well Lindelof hasn’t put a foot wrong & these two had a disasterclass today. Harry has been completely embarrassed twice now in 4 games.

I’m not shitting on Harry, but our fans need to be more consistent. Keep the same energy you have for Lindelof when it’s Maguire or Bailly, because I’m seeing blatant agendas against Victor at the moment.

Our best CB on current form. I pray he’s fit because the thought of Bailly terrifies me.
What did Maguire put wrong for that first goal anyway? He was able to block the shot/pass that went towards the goal/Solanke, ball bounced back then he went towards the ball tried to get the ball first. Calling him the problem for that goal while others were ball watching not trying to help is just a bit too clueless of what's going on.

When Lindelof put the foot wrong, Bissaka & Maguire always there to cover him. On the opposite side, Lindelof couldn't cover his partner, the Spurs goal sums up.