[dar10nian]

Early days yet but lindelof is looking worryingly bad. Has hardly won any tackles throughout the whole match.

 

[izec]

Can we still sign VVD please?

Lindelöf +30m

 

[Erics_Collar]

Lindelöf +30m

Or just 20m if we promise to keep Lindelof.

 

[izec]

Rojo at LB looked more promising than this. If Jose wanted to give someone time and learning experience, Tuanzebe was there. We should have gone for an experienced CB with good ability than another promising CB without the current ability

 

[Nighteyes]

One positive is he's not looked terrible in any of the games. But nor has he really justified his signing with the number of options we already have at CB. Early days still though.

 

[lysglimt]

One positive is he's not looked terrible in any of the games. But nor has he really justified his signing with the number of options we already have at CB. Early days still though.

If he hasn't looked terrible - I wonder what your definition of terrible is. I know he needs time, but usually you see something good with a player - VNL simply looks awful!

 

[pseudo_canadian]

Thought he settled into the game really well in the 2nd half.

 

[Harry190]

Why doesn't he suffer from the same level of opprobrium as Fellaini?

He is a lesser player. He messes up the balance at the back.

 

[MarchingOn]

I like Pogba, but today he was probably our worst player.

Weird spot for this post.

Anyways, Lindelof shouldn't start games any time soon unless absolutely needed. Blind is a much better option at CB.

 

[Brophs]

It's waaaaay too early to know how he'll do for us. That said, though, it is looking like he'll need quite a bit of time to get to the required standard, if indeed he can, so it could be a tricky season in terms of performances at CB.

 

[Akshay]

He was actually OK today? Have no idea why loads of you are on his back for that performance.

 

[Globule]

I thought he did okay. Not great, but better than in previous matches. My main concern right now is how comfortable he is backing away from a striker. He keeps giving players all the time in the world because he's constantly backing off.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Early days yet but lindelof is looking worryingly bad. Has hardly won any tackles throughout the whole match.

One tackle and one interception. Very poor. At fault for the goal too.

 

[sammsky1]

He'll take til at least November before he can estavlish himself with confidence. So no point really assessing him now.

But torrid and fantastic expereince to have to defend against BBC all in one night!

 

[AR87]

Thought he was okay today. This thread is filled with some real overreactions. Still needs time to settle though.

 

[the hea]

He still has a lot to learn and I think we won't see to much of him in the first months of the season, he will probably be eased in to the team over a couple of moths from here.

 

[Castia]

Thought he did ok. Give him time he will be decent, Jose doesn't often get defenders wrong especially ones he's watched a million times with Lindelof playing in Portugal.

 

[Leftback99]

Barring injuries I doubt we'll see him play much again until league cup and champions league get going, especially if we play with 4 at the back.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

His best performance so far. Good to see him finally start to look at home.

 

[kundalini]

Looks out of his depth to me at the moment. Been poor throughout pre-season. His defending is way below the standard we are used to seeing from our central defenders; where are the headers, tackles, interceptions, blocks ?

 

[Lentwood]

Generally looked fine tonight but there is just something about him that makes me uncomfortable

When you watch some defenders, Bailly being a good example, he can look a little untidy and a little erratic but he is such a physical specimen you back him every time. Lindelof its kind of the opposite. Looks like one sharp turn or one powerful leap away from being left in a forwards wake

Still, if we wrote off CBs based on <10 games we would have binned Stam and Vidic

 

[Devil81]

People are being harsh, he was a bit at sea in the first half but the second I thought he improved.

The Kroos shot confused me though, it was like he had no instinct to get in the way of the ball. He basically just turned his body out of the way in an area making no difference.

 

[Ban]

Better than in preseason. But still a lot of work.

 

[Zlaatan]

One tackle and one interception. Very poor. At fault for the goal too.

I've not been impressed with him at all but I find it a bit harsh to blame a defender for a goal when it was offside.

 

[ROFLUTION]

I thought his strengths would be his overview, but I've yet to see it. Didn't even look like he was aware of Casemiro behind him at 1-0.

Hopefully he just need some games under his belt and to settle.

 

[J-Stander]

Doesn't really look like an imposing centre back at all. Early days but reckon he could be bullied quiet a bit in the league.

 

[parkthebuslads]

He looks a strange one doesn't he? If we wanted a passer to stroke it around from the back in games without pressure we have Blind (not that I've seen much by way of Lindelof offering a lot with the ball). That scenario aside, he looks less than our existing options, so it's an odd move to bring him in. Could be proved wrong still of course.

 

[Sammyjunn]

He just seems so average so far, has to improve very quickly.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

I've not been impressed with him at all but I find it a bit harsh to blame a defender for a goal when it was offside.

Didn't look offside to me and I don't see the sense in gambling when the margins are so fine.

 

[el3mel]

Just poor. He's not ready to be a starter here at all.

He'll be a sub and fight his way up to become a starter.

 

[cyberman]

Did he make that tackle on Benzema 2 yards from goal?

 

[ovoxo]

Doesn't really look like an imposing centre back at all. Early days but reckon he could be bullied quiet a bit in the league.

I see this happening too. I'd prefer he be eased into the league to prevent this from happening and destroying his confidence.

 

[C3Pique]

Made Smalling look good! Also turned his back on a couple of shots - he looks like a hard man but plays like a schoolboy. The first goal was marginally offside, but if Casemiro was 6 inches further back then Lindelof still wouldn't have gotten close to stopping him.

He's still young with lots to learn, but he's a long way from starting 11 quality. We should have bought an established defender to replace Smalling or Jones. Now we just have another question mark at CB.

 

[Sunny Jim]

I havent seen much of him but so far he hasnt impressed me much.

 

[charlenefan]

He grew into the game, at this moment in time Bailly and Smalling would be my pair, give Lindelof time to bed in

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Did he make that tackle on Benzema 2 yards from goal?

I thought it was Darmian but the commentator said it was Lindeloff but he wasn't sure either!

 

[Aza Boy]

Perhaps my eyes was wrong. But for some that said, Lindeloff is ok, what game did you watch ?

DDG saved our ass from the hummiliation.

Lindeloff was shit. The time when CR7 got the free kick, it was Valencia in the centre back not him.

And Isco's goal ? 1-2 a la Playstation 1. If it is Jones, at least he will try to hack the ball before it is going to penalty box.

Thank god it is only Westham on the first game.

 

[nickyboy1981]

I thought he started a little shakey but grew into the game, Madrid and Isco in particular at the min are on fire and he didn't do an awful lot wrong, it's a big step for him and it baffels me that people are writing him off already, how many times have we seen defenders take time to settle? Evra? Vidic?.

I'll reserve judgement until he has a couple of disastorous seasons.

 

[Zoo]

Did he make that tackle on Benzema 2 yards from goal?

Yep.

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

I would start with Bailly and Jones against West Ham. Did think Lidelöf had a decent game today. Although Smalling was slightly better. We defended fairly well although Reals attack is just the best in the world so not easy to keep them out.