[Ekeke]

What happened to him? Frozen out completely. Does look weird that he was bought in mind for us to play it out of defense and then we decide after few mistakes of his to revert to Smalling, which is complete antonym of Victor. Honestly, seems like our style in general and this particular episode demonstrate Jose's internal battles; one side of his clearly prefers archaic tactics with everyone behind the ball but the other side of his whispers to him that he can't be doing that at our Club, so he's stuck in between and swings from one side to another depending on circumstances and prevailing mood as we go along. As a result, we just don't look like a team as I feel Jose himself doesn't have the real vision in the first place on how he wants to make this all work.

Smalling hides some other players issues so its no surprise that he's in the team. But it is a surprise that by this point he isnt being partnered by Lindelof if Mourinho had a lot of faith in him when we signed him.

But I believe Mourinho has said he doesnt personally pick players. So I guess it would make sense that he asked for a new CB with good ball playing skills, Lindelof is selected and given to Mourinho, he throws him in and he sinks at first and then gets a bit better. But like so many players Mourinho eventually decides he doesn't fancy him and thats where we seem to be at. When we played 3 at the back he played, maybe Mourinho feels thats the only way to use him. That was when he looked most comfortable too with less pressure on his defending.

 

[Devil81]

Complete waste of money, he was brought into the club to improve our defence. I haven't seen a single feature of his game I've been impressed with.

 

[girish]

He did play well in his last few games, I believe. I'd quite like to see more of him, hopefully paired up with Bailly.

 

[spiriticon]

He did play well in his last few games, I believe. I'd quite like to see more rod him, hopefully paired up with Bailly.

At right back. He's okay there.

 

[girish]

No, I remember him being good at passing through ball from back, when he started in the centre as well. He is the only CB we have, who can pass the ball under pressure, instead of hoofing it up, or to the stands.

 

[MadMike]

No, I remember him being good at passing through ball from back, when he started in the centre as well. He is the only CB we have, who can pass the ball under pressure, instead of hoofing it up, or to the stands.

He's also looked the least capable at defending as well though.

 

[SirAF]

He did play well in his last few games, I believe. I'd quite like to see more of him, hopefully paired up with Bailly.

Had forgotten about him yet again Thank God he is almost back.. I'm fairly certain he will displace Smalling ASAP.

 

[Sylar]

Im wondering if Jose brought him in to play a 3 at the back. And then once again, changed his mind and doesnt trust Victor in a back 2.

 

[Jig1234]

Has someone contacted the UK Missing Persons Unit?

 

[Offside]

Why does Jose just banish players like this? Surely he's injured. He was good in his last few games. He certainly has come composure and wouldn't have to take a dive in a despwerate attempt to retain possession because his donkey touch takes him about 10 yards away towards an opposition player.

 

[ti vu]

Has someone contacted the UK Missing Persons Unit?

What if he was lost during the Dubai trip?

Why does Jose just banish players like this? Surely he's injured. He was good in his last few games. He certainly has come composure and wouldn't have to take a dive in a despwerate attempt to retain possession because his donkey touch takes him about 10 yards away towards an opposition player.

Yeah. I don't understand what happened with him. Did quite decent in his last few games RB, but then left out of the squad since.

 

[Jig1234]

What if he was lost during the Dubai trip?

Yeah. I don't understand what happened with him. Did quite decent in his last few games RB, but then left out of the squad since.

That's the most annoying thing. I thought he was getting better. I love his ability on the ball he is more confident than Rojo-Smalling etc. He makes great runs and was showing promise and suddenly he has fallen off the face of the earth.

I hope he comes back. We need him and Bailly asap. I'm still upset we get Axel go on loan. Would have Axel over Smalling and Jones any day.

 

[Bojan11]

Why has he been frozen out?

He was starting to get better every game. Since the Italy game with Sweden his confidence levels have risen.

I’d play him against Huddersfield as he failed that test early on in the season, but now he has a chance to put things right.

 

[A-man]

Why has he been frozen out?

He was starting to get better every game. Since the Italy game with Sweden his confidence levels have risen.

I’d play him against Huddersfield as he failed that test early on in the season, but now he has a chance to put things right.

This is a bit of a mystery. Now he hasnt played for such a long time he would probably need a few games to be back at that level again. I strongly believe that a team who wants to be succesful in modern football needs ball playing CBs.

 

[Parma Dewol]

Why has he been frozen out?

He was starting to get better every game. Since the Italy game with Sweden his confidence levels have risen.

I’d play him against Huddersfield as he failed that test early on in the season, but now he has a chance to put things right.

Came into this thread wondering the exact same thing. After such a terrible start to his United career, his performances for Sweden against Italy seemed to be a turning point. Came back looking a different player, and one of few defenders who looks comfortable with the ball at his feet.

 

[Hawks2008]

We need him to come good, showed signs of finding his feet in his most recent games but then was dropped for some reason. Against Newcastle I saw several times Jones and Smalling pass sideways while under no pressure. How can we start attacks from deep or evade the press (which we have problems with) when our defenders are piss poor on the ball and afraid/unwilling to pass forward? I want to see him play with Bailly when the latter returns but somehow I don't think the manager trusts him. Seems odd to spend 30m on a player and never use him.

 

[Decomposing In Paris]

Much like Pogba, he's looked better in a 3... the issue then is that with 3 defenders and 3 midfielders is we need the width to come from our wingbacks... and we only two spots for Lukaku, Martial, Sanchez, Rashford, Lingard, & Mata.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

I don't think he's the answer to our issues.

 

[Loublaze]

We need him to come good, showed signs of finding his feet in his most recent games but then was dropped for some reason. Against Newcastle I saw several times Jones and Smalling pass sideways while under no pressure. How can we start attacks from deep or evade the press (which we have problems with) when our defenders are piss poor on the ball and afraid/unwilling to pass forward? I want to see him play with Bailly when the latter returns but somehow I don't think the manager trusts him. Seems odd to spend 30m on a player and never use him.

Mourinho has done this quite a bit in his career. Mkhitaryan is another recent example as he wasn't getting many games after his first few appearances.

 

[diplomat]

Before coming to us, I read some stories how Zlatan was recommending Lindelof to Mourinho. Maybe Jose didn't realise what type of defender he is, although that would be a bit ridiculous.

 

[Blind]

Bring him back in and he'll likely be even more exposed than Smalling and Jones against decent sides in this system. He's just so slow and easily beaten with simple dribbling or a turn, I haven't written off yet because that would be silly but I'm not convinced at all by what he's shown so far.

 

[Bubz27]

Before coming to us, I read some stories how Zlatan was recommending Lindelof to Mourinho. Maybe Jose didn't realise what type of defender he is, although that would be a bit ridiculous.

I doubt that very much. Jose has spoken about his connections in Portugal highly recommended Lindelof.

After looking, maybe I had that wrong. I can only find Jose being reassured after Victor's slow start by his links in Portugal that he started off slowly there too.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

I doubt that very much. Jose has spoken about his connections in Portugal highly recommended Lindelof.

After looking, maybe I had that wrong. I can only find Jose being reassured after Victor's slow start by his links in Portugal that he started off slowly there too.

He also said he watched him play every week for the full season of 16/17.

 

[Bubz27]

He also said he watched him play every week for the full season of 16/17.

Settled then.

Even if Zlatan may have originally brought Victor to Jose's attention, which is doubtful, I'm sure Mourinho would do his own scouting.

 

[IAmAWinner]

Think he will start the Champions League games, his continental style will come useful.

I have no doubt he will come good eventually

 

[He'lmurderyah15]

Think he should be brought back, Was very good in a 3 away at Watford and Arsenal in December.. I think Pogba can then play in a 2 if he has 3 centre halves behind him, he was huge for us on the break against arsenal and Watford. I honestly think Jose would have stuck with that 3 against City if pogba wasn't suspended, with Lingard dropping into midfield to match up with Citys. And Lingard and Sanchez would work very well as two floating 10's behind Lukaku, we don't have wingers so play wing backs to give us width .. see the job moses and Alonso did last year.. and I think our full backs are more comfortable 10 yards further forward .. Would love to see this team DDG -LINDE, JONES, ROJO- VALENCIA, MATIC, POG, YOUNG- LINGARD, SANCHEZ- LUKAKU .

 

[A-man]

Think he should be brought back, Was very good in a 3 away at Watford and Arsenal in December.. I think Pogba can then play in a 2 if he has 3 centre halves behind him, he was huge for us on the break against arsenal and Watford. I honestly think Jose would have stuck with that 3 against City if pogba wasn't suspended, with Lingard dropping into midfield to match up with Citys. And Lingard and Sanchez would work very well as two floating 10's behind Lukaku, we don't have wingers so play wing backs to give us width .. see the job moses and Alonso did last year.. and I think our full backs are more comfortable 10 yards further forward .. Would love to see this team DDG -LINDE, JONES, ROJO- VALENCIA, MATIC, POG, YOUNG- LINGARD, SANCHEZ- LUKAKU .

I don’t know why they didn’t continue to play with 3 at the back. I think it looked really good and brought out the best not only from Lindelof but from Pogba as well.

I hope he gets the chance in CL but I doubt it as he has been the bench for too many matches now.

 

[Smithy_123]

Completely forgot about Lindelof until I saw this thread.

What's happened to him? I don't remember hearing about an injury.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Completely forgot about Lindelof until I saw this thread.

What's happened to him? I don't remember hearing about an injury.

Mou doesn’t fancy him. I wonder if he will get a shot at weekend. Huddersfield are a physical side so not for me. If he doesn’t get a start against Sevilla then the signs are not good.

 

[Thecarrickfan_2016]

I'd put him in the team alongside Bailly. Let them get to know each other ahead of next season.

 

[soapythecat]

Pretty worrying for him if he can't get ahead of our English mongy pair of Smalling and Jones. How the hell our defense has been allowed to get so bad is beyond a joke.

 

[diplomat]

If Mourinho doesn't start using him again, it would be a waste of money, waste of squad space and taking important time out of the development of youth players, who could have had his place and maybe provided something meaningful.

 

[Dennis Viollet]

Looking at the stats our defence is the best in the league

 

[andersj]

Looking at the stats our defence is the best in the league

Depends on what stats you are looking at.

 

[diplomat]

Looking at the stats our defence is the best in the league

More like us having the best GK in the world and the best shot stopper by a mile.

 

[dannyrhinos89]

Looking at the stats our defence is the best in the league

David De Gea....

without him that “defence” would be as bad as Liverpool’s if not worse.

 

[arthurka]

Its probably Surströmming poisoning thats leaving him out of the team . .

 

[Ljungster]

I'm still of the opinion that Mou should start playing him and keep on playing him now to alow him to grow into the role. Using Smalling because he's a better "defender" is just a lame excuse when all the opposition have to do is to let Smalling have the ball and he will panic and hoof it up in the air. I would rather use Lindelöf who at the very least can put up a ball between the lines to someone in attack and who can pass the ball under pressure.

 

[diplomat]

I'm still of the opinion that Mou should start playing him and keep on playing him now to alow him to grow into the role. Using Smalling because he's a better "defender" is just a lame excuse when all the opposition have to do is to let Smalling have the ball and he will panic and hoof it up in the air. I would rather use Lindelöf who at the very least can put up a ball between the lines to someone in attack and who can pass the ball under pressure.

Like I've been saying, we could even try him at the position Dier has at Spurs for extra stability in midfield. It might not work, but right now we need to start looking for solutions because whatever we are doing at the moment, it isn't working and it's madness to believe it will.

 

[a_devil_inside]

I don't think he's been as bad as made out, but he needs a run of games to get his confidence and performances up. Even if it's not consecutive matches just give him some games.