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2017-18 Performances


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Fridge chutney

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Not really. Mourinho have zero faith in him.
Rubbish. He has played fullback ahead of Blind and Darmian and has more minutes than both, as well as several other defenders.

I've heard the lazy 'Jose has no faith' argument and it usually proves baseless.
  • Youth
  • Martial
  • Mata
  • Lingard
  • Shaw
He brought Lindelof in and to write him off after 740 minutes and half a season is daft.
 

marlowe78

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Couldn't guess how he'll turn out.

Seems to be better than when he first started for us at CB but hasn't done enough to nail down a regular spot, no way.

I thought he was OK playing at FB against Everton but it was against an off the pace Bolasie, who was still a handful.

I'm wondering if he might work as DM. The one thing he really looks strong at is passing. It could take some pressure off Matic having a ball-playing DM next to him.
 

Classical Mechanic

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I think he is 4th or 5th choice centre back and third choice right back behind Valencia and Young. This wasn't the right game for him today anyway. Burnley are a strong physical side.
 

Vashu

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His 2 attempted headers in the first half though. Oh, boy... :houllier:
 

Fergies Formula

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Still, I don’t think we should have purchased him. From now on we should look to buy players who are much better than our current set and he is arguably worse than all our current CB’s.
 

haram

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Still, I don’t think we should have purchased him. From now on we should look to buy players who are much better than our current set and he is arguably worse than all our current CB’s.
Bailly and Jones are first choice. Lindelof is useful in a 3 at the back formation. We need to think about the future and get in on talents early because the market is crazy.
 

Kag

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If Smalling had struggled like this bloke did last night (against League Two opposition) he'd be getting battered. Granted, it's a new experience for him down at Yeovil, but feck me, he's shite.

His real problem is that he just isn't very big, isn't very powerful and is seriously terrible in the air. He also turns like a bit of an oil tanker.

He's a long way behind the rest of our options at centre half and we've just sent one of them on loan to Aston Villa.

I'm not even seeing what he offers on the ball which is so great - to the extent that him playing ahead of better defenders would benefit us to the extent of dropping them for this supposed ball-playing ability.
 

Trizy

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Think I've seen enough for him to judge him by now. I've not seen anything that warrants us to keep him if I'm being honest. He doesn't seem to be good at any aspect of defending other than playing the ball on the ground.

That might be well and good in a one horse league playing for a passing team but he'll get found out time and time again in England. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate the guy but he isn't anywhere near the level of quality we need to have if we want to succeed.

Ideally we should be looking to bring in someone better than Bailey & Jones, because for me they are the two best pairing in England when fit. An Argument for top 3 in Europe. You get someone better than them, then you're guaranteed an excellent player.
 

haram

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He isn’t a talent. Football would be in a sorry state if he was in the top 50 centre backs at that age.
He was in the team of the tournament when Sweden won the U21 championships. As a ball playing CB in a 3 at the back he is a talent that can be further moulded by Jose. We need some patience. People complain about negative football, youth etc and Jose is trying with a more progressive young CB. No one is saying he is amazing yet but he does have interesting qualities.
 

haram

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If Smalling had struggled like this bloke did last night (against League Two opposition) he'd be getting battered. Granted, it's a new experience for him down at Yeovil, but feck me, he's shite.

His real problem is that he just isn't very big, isn't very powerful and is seriously terrible in the air. He also turns like a bit of an oil tanker.

He's a long way behind the rest of our options at centre half and we've just sent one of them on loan to Aston Villa.

I'm not even seeing what he offers on the ball which is so great - to the extent that him playing ahead of better defenders would benefit us to the extent of dropping them for this supposed ball-playing ability.
It’s easier to find a CB in the mould of Smalling than it is a young more ball playing CB. This is a signing looking a bit into the future. It might not work of course, but it is way to early to fully judge him.

Laporte is more accomplished yeah, but he is costing City 70 million. We cannot do that, we have to try and do it in a different way.
 

DdeGoat

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Apparently CB talent now come according to formation, and Lindelof is very good in one that we do not play. :lol:

We should cut our losses in the summer and pick up someone else. There are a couple of good ones that'll become available. Or may be give Tuanzebe chances next season; which he should have got anyway this season ahead of Lindelof.
 

Halftrack

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So the moaners didn't actually need him to have a bad game before they started complaining and wanting him sold again. Just have him sit out a couple of games, they'll forget everything and he's back to having shown nothing and being worse than everyone else.
 

Kag

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He was in the team of the tournament when Sweden won the U21 championships. As a ball playing CB in a 3 at the back he is a talent that can be further moulded by Jose. We need some patience. People complain about negative football, youth etc and Jose is trying with a more progressive young CB. No one is saying he is amazing yet but he does have interesting qualities.
What interesting qualities?

Youth isn't really the issue here. Well, it is. The issue, for me, is the long-standing problem of giving incoming signings of similar age the on-field opportunities that a player from the academy mightn't get.

If we were to bed in a young centre half this season then the player to do that with was Tuanzebe.

He's inherently quicker, stronger and more powerful than Lindelof. He's looked a lot more comfortable in the first team than Lindelof - even in midfield.

I'd argue he's even looked better on the ball. I remember one particular surge (against Arsenal?) from right back that Lindelof just isn't capable of doing.

One is in the first team, one is at Villa.

Edit: you seem to like the idea of centre halves in a certain 'mould'. While I take your point, I personally don't care too much for styles at the back. I think it's harder to find a defender as individually good at defending as Smalling (or Jones, or Bailly), than it is to find a defender that is great on the ball. I also think the former is a lot more important.
 

haram

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Apparently CB talent now come according to formation, and Lindelof is very good in one that we do not play. :lol:

We should cut our losses in the summer and pick up someone else. There are a couple of good ones that'll become available. Or may be give Tuanzebe chances next season; which he should have got anyway this season ahead of Lindelof.
Well it’s known Mourinho wanted to play 3 at the back at times so?
 

haram

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What interesting qualities?

Youth isn't really the issue here. Well, it is. The issue, for me, is the long-standing problem of giving incoming signings of similar age the on-field opportunities that a player from the academy mightn't get.

If we were to bed in a young centre half this season then the player to do that with was Tuanzebe.

He's inherently quicker, stronger and more powerful than Lindelof. He's looked a lot more comfortable in the first team than Lindelof - even in midfield.

I'd argue he's even looked better on the ball. I remember one particular surge (against Arsenal?) from right back that Lindelof just isn't capable of doing.
Who said Tuanzebe wont get a chance? He is still very young. We cant just rely on Tuanzebe coming good. We need options and players to suit a certain system.

Didn't Tuanzebe play at RB? We are going to forget Lindelof dealing with Richarlison one on one and his performance against Watford then?
 

DdeGoat

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Well it’s known Mourinho wanted to play 3 at the back at times so?
Known? Okay.

He isn't good enough for that either. The guy is terrible in one on one situations & is not as good on the ball as he is touted to be. Doesn't have positional sense or the recovery pace. He reeks of mediocrity.

Jose who is usually good at spotting CB's got it wrong this time. We'll be wise to recoup whatever we can get him in the summer. The longer he stays, the lesser will be his resale value.
 

Kag

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Who said Tuanzebe wont get a chance? He is still very young. We cant just rely on Tuanzebe coming good. We need options and players to suit a certain system.
I did, in his player thread. I said that in the summer, was told by some people that he would get opportunities - in spite of the fact we would need injuries to four first team central defenders before he gets a league start.

Sadly, I was right when I predicted that the first half of his season would be a waste of time and that he'd just be another example in a long list of promising, young British 18-21 year old footballers that play nowhere near enough professional football between these ages. Hopefully the loan can fix that.

This problem is generally exacerbated by clubs buying the likes of Lindelof - who just looks woefully average by comparison to our first team defenders - and no real better (if better at all?) than Tuanzebe himself.

I'm going on a tangent a bit, mind you, I just find it frustrating.
 

haram

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Known? Okay.

He isn't good enough for that either. The guy is terrible in one on one situations & is not as good on the ball as he is touted to be. Doesn't have positional sense or the recovery pace. He reeks of mediocrity.

Jose who is usually good at spotting CB's got it wrong this time. We'll be wise to recoup whatever we can get him in the summer. The longer he stays, the lesser will be his resale value.
Ok, well that’s you opinion and you have the right to that. I do not want to write him off. I think there is something there we can work with.

I did, in his player thread. I said that in the summer, was told by some people that he would get opportunities - in spite of the fact we would need injuries to four first team central defenders before he gets a league start.

Sadly, I was right when I predicted that the first half of his season would be a waste of time and that he'd just be another example in a long list of promising, young British 18-21 year old footballers that play nowhere near enough professional football between these ages. Hopefully the loan can fix that.

This problem is generally exacerbated by clubs buying the likes of Lindelof - who just looks woefully average by comparison to our first team defenders - and no real better (if better at all?) than Tuanzebe himself.

I'm going on a tangent a bit, mind you, I just find it frustrating.
He will get chances eventually. I dont get why everyone wants everything to be rushed with youth players.
 

Fergies Formula

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He was in the team of the tournament when Sweden won the U21 championships. As a ball playing CB in a 3 at the back he is a talent that can be further moulded by Jose. We need some patience. People complain about negative football, youth etc and Jose is trying with a more progressive young CB. No one is saying he is amazing yet but he does have interesting qualities.

I also observe that he isn’t really a ball playing centre back, that’s a misconception. He just plays a standard pass to the player next to him with adequacy. A ball playing centre back will dictate play from his position and pick out passes to options across the entire field of play, rather than those next to him.

Our defence is reasonable as it stands but a centre back upgrade is 100% possible as is a right back with Valencia in his twilight. It’s only that Mourinho is a great defensive manager that he enables us to appear statistically sound.
 

DdeGoat

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Ok, well that’s you opinion and you have the right to that. I do not want to write him off. I think there is something there we can work with.
An opinion based on having seen and observed him in every start he has made for United. Not out of some lofty idea that he is a "formation player".
 

haram

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I also observe that he isn’t really a ball playing centre back, that’s a misconception. He just plays a standard pass to the player next to him with adequacy. A ball playing centre back will dictate play from his position and pick out passes to options across the entire field of play, rather than those next to him.

Our defence is reasonable as it stands but a centre back upgrade is 100% possible as is a right back with Valencia in his twilight. It’s only that Mourinho is a great defensive manager that he enables us to appear statistically sound.
Right, and the team along with the defence will continue to be built over time, which is why we have signed someone like Lindelof.
 

haram

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An opinion based on having seen and observed him in every start he has made for United. Not out of some lofty idea that he is a "formation player".
He was impressive against watford in a 3 CB formation and Mourinho has expressed he would like to use a 3 back formation. It’s also why he went after Perisic. I’m not saying he is amazing but I dont think we should bin him yet. We will just go out and look for a player in a similar age range and price.

This is what mourinho said about him;

“Victor will be given time and no pressure for his evolution.

"He has a very specific position on the pitch and he needs time. He will be given time but also opportunities.

"Because just time and no opportunities to play, then the evolution gets slower. He needs time, no pressure, but also he needs opportunities”.

What is this specific position?
 
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Kag

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He will get chances eventually. I dont get why everyone wants everything to be rushed with youth players.
He's 21 this year and has played 5 games of professional football. That's nowhere near enough, so of course there's a rush.

This happens again and again and people like you (sorry) pretend it's fine and say things like "he'll get games eventually".

Michael Keane, at the same age, had already partnered Wes Morgan at Leicester: a side with the best defensive record in the division that year.

We're veering off topic. So on the topic of Lindelof, I just don't see it. I just think he's some way off our other options. Which is frustrating when you buy somebody for a lot of money. Bailly cost little more and is so much better.
 

haram

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He's 21 this year and has played 5 games of professional football. That's nowhere near enough, so of course there's a rush.

This happens again and again and people like you (sorry) pretend it's fine and say things like "he'll get games eventually".

Michael Keane, at the same age, had already partnered Wes Morgan at Leicester: a side with the best defensive record in the division that year.

We're veering off topic. So on the topic of Lindelof, I just don't see it. I just think he's some way off our other options. Which is frustrating when you buy somebody for a lot of money. Bailly cost little more and is so much better.
Tuanzebe is now out on loan. He will get chances eventually. I dont know what you want me to say. Yes Bailly is a good CB but Lindelof was bought in to be a different type of CB. This direct comparisons don’t interest me that much.

“But the nature of the Premier League is also changing and we need defenders who can play, who can come into the midfield bringing the ball because it’s becoming really defensive and we’re going to face many teams with five in the back and two or three in front.’

“Victor of all our defenders is probably the one to bring more quality when he attacks the midfield”.

We need to think about stuff like tis going forward and building our team. This is why I am not giving up on him yet.
 

Fergies Formula

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Right, and the team along with the defence will continue to be built over time, which is why we have signed someone like Lindelof.
That makes no sense. If a player isn’t better than any of the current players and doesn’t offer skills which exceed them in any facet of their game then what’s the point ? It should be about quality at this stage and not quantity.
 

haram

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That makes no sense. If a player isn’t better than any of the current players and doesn’t offer skills which exceed them in any facet of their game then what’s the point ? It should be about quality at this stage and not quantity.
He offers qualities the other CB’s dont? He is young and will grow and get better under Mourinho?
 

Fergies Formula

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He offers qualities the other CB’s dont? He is young and will grow and get better under Mourinho?
What qualities that he offers are superior to our other players ?

Most player would improve under a manager with the class of Mourinho but we should be aiming for the players with the most potential and ability yet he doesn’t excel at the following key facets that is required in a central defender:
Strength
Positioning
Interceptions
Pace
Intelligence
Heading
Passing
Dominance

I understand wanting to persevere with a player but sometimes you can just tell when they won’t ever be good enough and this is the case with him.

All 4 of our current centre backs are a lot better so I just don’t get his purchase as he is clearly inferior and has an impossible task of trajectory to overtake them.
 

haram

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What qualities that he offers are superior to our other players ?

Most player would improve under a manager with the class of Mourinho but we should be aiming for the players with the most potential and ability yet he doesn’t excel at the following key facets that is required in a central defender:
Strength
Positioning
Interceptions
Pace
Intelligence
Heading
Passing
Dominance

I understand wanting to persevere with a player but sometimes you can just tell when they won’t ever be good enough and this is the case with him.

All 4 of our current centre backs are a lot better so I just don’t get his purchase as he is clearly inferior and has an impossible task of trajectory to overtake them.
I posted quotes from Mourinho above. His ability to attack the midfield and help us against teams that are ultra defensive. He also showed quality against Watford when we played 3 at the back and I think he got man of the match vs Brighton (might be wrong on that). Mourinho said he will be patient with Lindelof because he is working in a specific position. I am willing to be patient as well. Mourinho knows his defenders and tactics and taking everything into context the signing makes sense.
 

stepic

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Would have preferred to splurge the extra for Laporte. Someone who was clearly better than some of our options.

But it’s obviously way too early to right him off. It’s his first season and he’s limited opportunity so far ffs
 

BigdaftGorby

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I often get Darmian and Lindelof mixed up from a distance. Neither can head a ball, neither have decent body movement, both have that slight haunch when running.
And both of them are not very good at reading the play or 1v1s.

Can’t believe we bought him when McGuire went for a song to Leicester.
 

Fergies Formula

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I posted quotes from Mourinho above. His ability to attack the midfield and help us against teams that are ultra defensive. He also showed quality against Watford when we played 3 at the back and I think he got man of the match vs Brighton (might be wrong on that). Mourinho said he will be patient with Lindelof because he is working in a specific position. I am willing to be patient as well. Mourinho knows his defenders and tactics and taking everything into context the signing makes sense.
I’m sure that Mourinho had to compromise with his purchase of Lindelöf and he was a second/ third choice. He will obviously protect his asset to ensure his value stays high when it comes to selling by embellishing on his supposed talent as a ball player. The majority of fans can see he has underwhelmed and Mourinho is famed for chopping players if they aren’t up to the job.

I can’t agree it makes sense. As I have said plenty of times, he ranks below our current set of players, so on that basis alone, it’s bizzaree when we want to move up a level yet we are going backwards with his purchase .
 

hn4manunited

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I thought victor had a solid performance. If you nitpick, every player makes mistakes. It’s the mistakes that cost us the goal that are the bad ones. Other mistakes can be handled through cover and structure. Young victor is coming along settling in nicely. He will come good for us. If you can’t see talent in this player, you clearly just want a finished product. Which is fine but that’s not what we bought.

Back to what most people are saying. Jose knows what he sees. He’s been most of the time right about his defender signings. If Jose sees something in lindelof, there’s something there.
 

haram

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I’m sure that Mourinho had to compromise with his purchase of Lindelöf and he was a second/ third choice. He will obviously protect his asset to ensure his value stays high when it comes to selling by embellishing on his supposed talent as a ball player. The majority of fans can see he has underwhelmed and Mourinho is famed for chopping players if they aren’t up to the job.

I can’t agree it makes sense. As I have said plenty of times, he ranks below our current set of players, so on that basis alone, it’s bizzaree when we want to move up a level yet we are going backwards with his purchase .
Ok so he is only saying these things so he can sell him at a good price. Ok. He wasn’t bought in to directly replace Bailly or Jones. Im done with this now, it’s boring.
 

YouOnlyLiveTwice

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Maybe a loan to West Brom if they sell Evans could be good for him? Of course it depends on how long Bailly will be out for.

Doubt it will happen, but right now i think he is 5th choice for CB position.
 

arthurka

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I am not sure about this guy. Usually you can see something in a player that you can identify but with him I see nothing special. If ball playing is his strength I truly dont want to see his weaknesses. But sadly you cannot miss them..
 
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