Selling Daley Blind

[cyril C]

Blind was very poor for long time before he was sold. Selling him was not a mistake.

Blind always have a steady performance, whether as LB or CB. He was just too short to be a CB, against certain opposition. I still had the West Ham horror show repeating in my mind. It was exactly like Shaw as CB tonight. is Shaw a bad player, no. Can he not do a good job defending balls on the ground, probably not. What was in your mind when we conceded on set piece which was luckily offside.

Mistake was on his replacement. Lindelof, appear to be taller, is worse than Blind on header. While we don't want to put aerial strength as the sole attribute, but it is a key attribute to survive in EPL.

 

[Devil81]

Blind with pace, now that would be some player because he's technically brilliant. Saying that I think he's technically brilliant because he had no pace and it's how he levelled the playing field.

I liked Blind, was disappointed to see him sold as I felt he was a good squad player that could fill many positions.

 

[NLunited]

He coulda stayed a few more years, but after Van Gaal we did not hire the right managers. Blind excels in a team that likes to ping the ball around.

I hope he finds a good club. La Liga might be a good option.

 

[Trumpeter Whydah]

He lost his starting place with Ajax and asked to be freed, it was a good gesture from Ajax.

There is talk about a clause in Blinds contract which prolongs said contract for another season once he reaches 24 games.

This then makes one doubt the good gesture narrative, as it looks like he's been asking for termination of his contract once he understood that Ajax will make sure that he's not getting the remaining five games.

At best some good cop gesture at the end of some bad cop behavior.

 

[SAFMUTD]

There is talk about a clause in Blinds contract which prolongs said contract for another season once he reaches 24 games.

This then makes one doubt the good gesture narrative, as it looks like he's been asking for termination of his contract once he understood that Ajax will make sure that he's not getting the remaining five games.

At best some good cop gesture at the end of some bad cop behavior.

Yes I read that as well after I posted that, if so then it's only a good arrangement between both parts and not a good gesture as I first thought.

 

[el3mel]

Wait, we're still talking about selling Blind ?

Crazy. United fans just don't know how to move on.

The guy was a nice bloke but he was nothing special. We lost nothing by selling him. Good luck to him but that's about it.

Not a single player who was sold during post Fergie era deserved to stay when they were sold. Some of them were good some were shit, but all of them deserved to go when they did. Some even outstayed their welcome.

 

[lex talionis]

This thread should be merged with the infamous “José was Right” thread. What a fukking jackass José was in getting rid of Blind, as though somehow Smalling and Jones were superior, among other crazed squad management decisions. Blind was consistently solid for us, never an all worlder to be sure, and deserved better than what he got from the club.

 

[tentan]

Was never good enough for us

 

[Bondi77]

Blind always have a steady performance, whether as LB or CB. He was just too short to be a CB, against certain opposition. I still had the West Ham horror show repeating in my mind. It was exactly like Shaw as CB tonight. is Shaw a bad player, no. Can he not do a good job defending balls on the ground, probably not. What was in your mind when we conceded on set piece which was luckily offside.

Mistake was on his replacement. Lindelof, appear to be taller, is worse than Blind on header. While we don't want to put aerial strength as the sole attribute, but it is a key attribute to survive in EPL.

Bailly was his replacement and he started really well.

 

[Mr PG]

Selling Blind for £14m and getting Bailly and Lindeleof for £30m each was the most Manchester thing ever. Lindeleof is basically equivalent to Blind.

 

[cyril C]

Selling Blind for £14m and getting Bailly and Lindeleof for £30m each was the most Manchester thing ever. Lindeleof is basically equivalent to Blind.

Sad to disagree with you, Lindelof is worse.

Blind is better than Lindelof on positioning, game reading, which compensate for his short-coming on height. Blind hardly get embarrassed by opponent as long as the ball is on the ground. His passing is possibly better, hence his strength while playing as LB. Blind's weakness is on aerial strength, and I still cannot accept the fact that ANY Nordic players cannot header.

 

[MadDogg]

Wait, we're still talking about selling Blind ?

Crazy. United fans just don't know how to move on.

The guy was a nice bloke but he was nothing special. We lost nothing by selling him. Good luck to him but that's about it.

Not a single player who was sold during post Fergie era deserved to stay when they were sold. Some of them were good some were shit, but all of them deserved to go when they did. Some even outstayed their welcome.

Some were better than the players we replaced them with, so in that sense it was a mistake to sell them. Blind is arguably one of them, but he was never going to fit into Mourinho football.

 

[MadDogg]

Blind always have a steady performance, whether as LB or CB. He was just too short to be a CB, against certain opposition. I still had the West Ham horror show repeating in my mind. It was exactly like Shaw as CB tonight. is Shaw a bad player, no. Can he not do a good job defending balls on the ground, probably not. What was in your mind when we conceded on set piece which was luckily offside.

Mistake was on his replacement. Lindelof, appear to be taller, is worse than Blind on header. While we don't want to put aerial strength as the sole attribute, but it is a key attribute to survive in EPL.

Shaw's far stronger, faster and better in the air than Blind, so it's hardly the same thing. He has the physical tools to succeed in the centre (a little shorter than ideal, but not a deal-breaker). Can't say I noticed what Shaw was doing during that set piece, but my main thought was 'even when AWB is playing well he's losing his man and letting them score'.

 

[tenpoless]

We replaced him with Baily just because he managed to tackle Messi once in La Liga. And we signed Lindelof because he was dubbed the iceman.

 

[R'hllor]

Selling Blind wasnt a good move at the time but he wasnt a bus driver that JM loves so he got rid of him.

 

[Xeque_279]

Nostalgia really clouds people's judgment, doesn't it. Not physical/pacey enough to play CB/LB, could've maybe played as a CDM but again, the physical factor comes in.

Loved Blind but we weren't wrong to sell him.

 

[jem]

Wait, we're still talking about selling Blind ?

Crazy. United fans just don't know how to move on.

The guy was a nice bloke but he was nothing special. We lost nothing by selling him. Good luck to him but that's about it.

Not a single player who was sold during post Fergie era deserved to stay when they were sold. Some of them were good some were shit, but all of them deserved to go when they did. Some even outstayed their welcome.

Just off the top of my. head I think we could've benefited from keeping Zaha.

 

[cyril C]

Shaw's far stronger, faster and better in the air than Blind, so it's hardly the same thing. He has the physical tools to succeed in the centre (a little shorter than ideal, but not a deal-breaker). Can't say I noticed what Shaw was doing during that set piece, but my main thought was 'even when AWB is playing well he's losing his man and letting them score'.

You have missed my point. I have no problem with Shaw being a LB (as long as he stays fit), I post the question on whether you start asking question on team selection, when we "conceded" on set piece. Shaw or whoever played their part on set piece defence, 90% of the time did a good job, but is this the best that we can offer. When you are 5cm. shorter, you are 5cm shorter.

I recalled 1 game when Fergi had to sub JOS for Rafael 1st half. Rafael was OK but we were bullied in the air. If you have to make a choice between Rafael, Evra, or 1 of the MF, Rafael (not entirely his fault), was hooked.

 

[Xaviboy]

He had the one ability that most utd CB players struggle with which was playing the ball through the lines from defence to midfield. Martinez does it brilliantly for us now.

Lindelof and Maguire try to do it but relise they can't do it or not in their locker so they turn back and play it back to goalkeeper or out to a full back sideways pass.

 

[Oranges038]

Anyone know why his contract was terminated, he only had 6 months left?

Too old, too slow and too short.

Ajax just don't need him and have just decided to be nice about it.

 

[Ekeke]

Selling Blind for £14m and getting Bailly and Lindeleof for £30m each was the most Manchester thing ever. Lindeleof is basically equivalent to Blind.

Bailly? For the first season sure. And potentially... without the injuries. But overall no.

Lindelof? Just nowhere near as good. Blind could also play multiple roles well. Filled in for Carrick well in his first role, before going to CB and LB

 

[jesperjaap]

Nostalgia really clouds people's judgment, doesn't it. Not physical/pacey enough to play CB/LB, could've maybe played as a CDM but again, the physical factor comes in.

Loved Blind but we weren't wrong to sell him.

Yes I think Blind was decent as a dm he couple of times when he played there for us, but was a poor left bak and he got bullied far more than Lindelof even at centre back.

Nostalgia like you say. Find it strange people still bemoaning the likes of Blind and Herrera here. Regardless of the quality of players we signed since.....being good professionals and people.......they were overall in there spells here average at best and simply not good enough.

Bemoaning some of the signings since, fully understand, bemoaning selling players who werent good enough.....I dont

 

[Catt]

As some other poster said, he was decent at United, nothing more.

 

[el3mel]

Some were better than the players we replaced them with, so in that sense it was a mistake to sell them. Blind is arguably one of them, but he was never going to fit into Mourinho football.

Not really. The mistake wasn't replacing them with better players. Keeping average or about above average players in your squad is never the right option. Selling all of them was right, the fact we fecked up their replacement is completely different thing.

 

[MileStolar]

Didn't know which thread to bump but he terminated his contract with Ajax and signed for Bayern. Bit under radar this goes as it seems. Anyone reckons he could've been a good squad option for us?

Edit: Didn't see his termination was discussed earlier... Oh well nevermind then

 

[Semper Fudge]

Didn't know which thread to bump but he terminated his contract with Ajax and signed for Bayern. Bit under radar this goes as it seems. Anyone reckons he could've been a good squad option for us?

Edit: Didn't see his termination was discussed earlier... Oh well nevermind then

No. He was naff here 7 years ago and he’s only got older and slower.

 

[DJ_21]

How’s he ended up at Bayern? I’d of thought Ajax was about his level tbh

 

[ArjenIsM3]

How’s he ended up at Bayern? I’d of thought Ajax was about his level tbh

He's only signed untill the end of the season to cover for an injury. Doubt he'll be renewed after that.

 

[Vault Dweller]

No. He was naff here 7 years ago and he’s only got older and slower.

He was absolutely not naff.

 

[norm87cro]

Not this load of rubbish again. For a person who was supposed to be a CM he sure often moved a lot to a CB (where he was rubbish) or a LB (where he wasnt so rubbish). Just because he is dutch and has a famous daddy doesnt mean he is a superb footballer.
John Oshea did a much better job at all these things and he isnt rated amongst half of the CAF because of his surname

 

[BeltUp]

Had to be sold as he would never have worked under Jose no matter how good he was.

 

[Dan_F]

Nice guy, decent player. Seeing the likes of Casemiro and Varane should show everyone why we never stood a chance in the post Fergie years. And I include myself in that as I always thought we should have kept him. The quality of player needed is just so high to compete at the top.

 

[Adebisi's Hat]

I liked him, he seems a good lad too. Probably my favorite moment was this brilliantly worked goal against Liverpool that was unfairly overshadowed with 'that' Tony M goal.