[Welbeckham]

I watched him for Sweden in EURO2016 and I genuinely think he was one of the worst players in that team. Like Memphis, it is so painfully evident that he lacks the ability to be a decent PL player, let alone being better than what we already had.

You can see by watching for five minutes that he's terribly limited in several aspects of the game. On a top level, I've never seen a CB more fearful and insecure when ball comes towards him on air. And that is not only his nerves with us, you could see that with Sweden also. I'm not happy to say this but he just won't "come good".

 

[devilish]

He was left alone in front of 4 Newcastle forwards. That speak volumes about the players playing around him not him. What was Smalling doing for example?

 

[whatwha]

Ferdinand was shite to begin with. So was De Gea.
Give him some time.

While Lindelöf may do better after some time, I don't think his situation can be compared to Rio and DDG, they clearly had more talent and better attributes than him.

 

[KM]

He was left alone in front of 4 Newcastle forwards. That speak volumes about the players playing around him not him. What was Smalling doing for example?

It's genuinely staggering that he's copping all the blame for that goal. Where was the left back for the goal?

 

[milemuncher777]

Recovered fairly well after being nervous wreck in opening minutes. Needs to build on the performance now.

 

[MrBest]

Give him a break. Yeah he was awful for first 30 mins but so was the whole team. The slip was bad but smalling should of been there and was nowhere to be seen.

 

[Kapardin]

He was not entirely at fault for the first goal. It didn't help that he looked shaky though.

Was decent in the second half. Let's see, he's anyway going to get his chances. I suppose Rojo will be ahead of him in the pecking order as well.

 

[pocco]

It was Matic's man that scored.

 

[Halftrack]

It's genuinely staggering that he's copping all the blame for that goal. Where was the left back for the goal?

It's infuriating to see people savage him for what was a fairly minor mistake, made to look worse by the fact that three of his teammates hung him out to dry. He slipped because he tried to stop and get back to cut out the pass, because Matic and Pogba failed to track the Newcastle players, leaving him to deal with three at once. Had he not done that, he wouldn't have slipped, and I seriously doubt anyone would be making much of it. On the other hand, given how much some seem to hate him, they'd probably have found something to give him shit for anyway.

 

[devilish]

It's genuinely staggering that he's copping all the blame for that goal. Where was the left back for the goal?

True. We shouldn't have been in that situation (4 Newcastle forwards in front of ddg and lindelof). Midfield should have tracked back (Rio mentioned matic and pogba) and our more experienced defenders should have organised the defence better.

 

[engulfing]

It's infuriating to see people savage him for what was a fairly minor mistake, made to look worse by the fact that three of his teammates hung him out to dry. He slipped because he tried to stop and get back to cut out the pass, because Matic and Pogba failed to track the Newcastle players, leaving him to deal with three at once. Had he not done that, he wouldn't have slipped, and I seriously doubt anyone would be making much of it. On the other hand, given how much some seem to hate him, they'd probably have found something to give him shit for anyway.

He slipped because he was trying to lunge for the ball. He had to lunge for the ball because his positioning was poor. His positioning was poor because he was ball watching and had no idea where the Newcastle players were.

His awareness is very poor and he has a tendency to ball watch and get sucked into stupid positions. I also remember at least 2 times he mistimed attempted headers with the ball dropping over him including one when attacking the second ball while defending a corner. Fortunately matic was there to head the ball out.

Newcastle didn't play any tall powerful forwards which are what he really struggles with. Smalling was also tasked to attack all the high balls so that masked his problems too.

As i said previously he isn't really a centre back. He's probably more of a defensive midfielder. I don't know why we signed him but if it was to be a centre back we made a really bad decision.

 

[Adisa]

Still, think it's stupid to write him off.
Vida and Paddy looked complete disasters for the first 6 months.

 

[NinjaFletch]

He slipped because he was trying to lunge for the ball. He had to lunge for the ball because his positioning was poor. His positioning was poor because he was ball watching and had no idea where the Newcastle players were.

His awareness is very poor and he has a tendency to ball watch and get sucked into stupid positions. I also remember at least 2 times he mistimed attempted headers with the ball dropping over him including one when attacking the second ball while defending a corner. Fortunately matic was there to head the ball out.

Newcastle didn't play any tall powerful forwards which are what he really struggles with. Smalling was also tasked to attack all the high balls so that masked his problems too.

As i said previously he isn't really a centre back. He's probably more of a defensive midfielder. I don't know why we signed him but if it was to be a centre back we made a really bad decision.

No, he just slipped.

If you'e going to be hypercritical there's 3 other players that deserve more blame for than him.

 

[Freak]

People need to stop overreacting. He wasn't bad at all. The goal wasn't entirely his fault.

 

[engulfing]

No, he just slipped.

If you'e going to be hypocritical there's 3 other players that deserve more blame for than him.

Go watch it again and look at where lindelof is looking. Yes we had other players out of position but lindelof should have been closer to the 3 Newcastle players. Hes not united quality some of you just choose to not see it.

 

[Trizy]

To be fair I'd love to jump on the bandwagon calling for his head after today and I've yet to see him do anything positive in an United shirt but.. I thought he was alright. Even the best CBs slip, it's part of playing on a grass pitch you can't control.

Should be dropped as soon as Rojo, Jones and Bailey are back.

 

[Gopher Brown]

Why would he put his hand behind his back when blocking shots in the box? I know he wants to avoid getting hit on the hand but how often do we see that in a game?

He deserves criticism for a lot of stuff in recent games but certainly not for this. Especially if Michael Oliver was ref he’d be fecked if he did that.

It is a silly thing to do in such an exaggerated manner as he does it. First, it lessens mobility, and second if his arms are by his sides he will be half a foot wider, and it still wouldn’t be deemed as handball.

Also, he’s a coward who turns sideways when the ball is struck. If he’s going to be a centre back someone needs to toughen him up a bit.

 

[prath92]

It was Matic's man that scored.

Dwight Gayle is the second striker? So that’s the CB’s man?

 

[rampo]

I am unable to understand what he did wrong yesterday that he is being slated. Yes, he screwed up vs Huddersfield and he is not at the level of our other defenders yet but he was definitely very good yesterday

His slip can happen to any defender. We need to blame our midfield for leaving 2 defenders vs 4 Newcastle players

Lindelof had moments where he tried to pass between the lines or tried good over the top balls - and that is what we are crying out from our defenders

 

[R'hllor]

People can rage as much as they want, at the end he needs more time. My issue isnt with him, he might turn to be one of best CBs in the future for us, my issue is him getting minutes because he is JM buy and is older then other CBs. Last season JM before game vs Arsenal away, he said how Axel wasnt ready as CB, after which he had Sanchez in his pocket, so if Axel wasnt ready, God knows whats VL in current state.

 

[Gusjaros]

Dwight Gayle is the second striker? So that’s the CB’s man?

Manchester United (like most teams) are defending with zonal marking. Nobody is instructed to cover the "secondary striker". They are instructed to cover areas of the pitch. It is clearly not Lindelöf's man but the centre midfields job to track back and cover him.

Had Lindelöf not slipped he might have been able to cover Gayle's shot but that's not a certainty more like a bonus.

 

[NinjaFletch]

Go watch it again and look at where lindelof is looking. Yes we had other players out of position but lindelof should have been closer to the 3 Newcastle players. Hes not united quality some of you just choose to not see it.

If he gets tighter to those three players (you're going to have to tell me how he's supposed to mark all 3 of them btw) he leaves a far simpler ball on across the front post and a far simpler chance.

His positioning and reading of the game was fine (I actually think if you freeze the frame just as he slips he looks favourite to beat Gayle to the ball) he just slipped. Yes that's a mistake, but it's not proof of anything one way or another. Shit happens sometimes.

I would be far more worried about the series of errors that had lead to that position in the first place than he would be about the fact Lindelof slipped.

 

[Bruno8]

Besides slipping for the goal he did very well. his confidence got better as the match went on

 

[Litch]

This seasons Felliani....every forum needs a dog to kick. Joking aside, I'm saying it as I did about the negativity about Felliani, people are going to look very foolish with their comments as he's going to be a world class CB.

 

[Mickson]

People can rage as much as they want, at the end he needs more time. My issue isnt with him, he might turn to be one of best CBs in the future for us, my issue is him getting minutes because he is JM buy and is older then other CBs. Last season JM before game vs Arsenal away, he said how Axel wasnt ready as CB, after which he had Sanchez in his pocket, so if Axel wasnt ready, God knows whats VL in current state.

This. I'm sure Victor will be a good CB but for me Axel is the better prospect, and he should have been the one playing. Waste of money for me.

 

[VorZakone]

I feel kinda bad for Tuanzebe who should be ahead of Lindelof IMO.

 

[Lennon7]

This seasons Felliani....every forum needs a dog to kick. Joking aside, I'm saying it as I did about the negativity about Felliani, people are going to look very foolish with their comments as he's going to be a world class CB.

Has Fellaini really proved anyone wrong?

 

[Nicklas]

He's playing better and better, but I don't think he's peak will match the standard of a centre back at Man Utd.

 

[Litch]

Has Fellaini really proved anyone wrong?

Yes.....when's the last utd player you remember being boo'ed by his own fans? That's how bad it was at it's worst. I'm not saying he is Pogs quality but there is now at least an acknowledgment that he's better than most had given him credit for.

 

[Litch]

He's playing better and better, but I don't think he's peak will match the standard of a centre back at Man Utd.

Which Utd CB's are those then?

 

[mancan92]

The problem is that you can almost guarantee that once a match he will make a mistake that will cause a clear goal scoring opportunity. Which for a top cb cannot be done.

 

[Nicklas]

Which Utd CB's are those then?

For me, Bailly (when he learn how to head a ball) and Jones (when fit). And in our youth teams both of Tuanzebe and O'Connor have been impressing, but it's obviously far too early to say if they have the talent and mindset to be a CB at Man Utd.

 

[Litch]

For me, Bailly (when he learn how to head a ball) and Jones (when fit). And in our youth teams both of Tuanzebe and O'Connor have been impressing, but it's obviously far too early to say if they have the talent and mindset to be a CB at Man Utd.

So 2 then (?) Heading the ball and being fit to play are pretty important aren't they? Let's be honest, our ceiling isn't that high in quality at present.

 

[Mcking]

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[Mcking]

If we wanted a ball playing CB we should have got Aymeric Laporte. Laporte can peel off 30 to 40m passes with ease and unlike Lindelof can actually defend. Not sure why we purchased a project player like Lindelof when we could have got an experienced first team player like Laporte. He's also 23 so could have played for us for the next decade.

Or Jonathan Tah?

 

[Nicklas]

So 2 then (?) Heading the ball and being fit to play are pretty important aren't they? Let's be honest, our ceiling isn't that high in quality at present.

Well, yeah of course it's important to be able to head the ball and stay fit - otherwise I wouldn't have said it? And for me, our other options aren't good enough and shouldn't be first choice here. Maybe I've been spoiled watching Pallister, Stam, Vidic, Rio etc down the years.

 

[Ainu]

I just hope he takes some much needed confidence from a good second-half performance. Admittedly, it was a fairly comfortable half as Newcastle were pretty much spent in attack by then, but still, every little bit helps. There must be a good player in there somewhere, Mourinho usually knows his stuff when it comes to defenders.

 

[deafepl]

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This. Hope he'll get better defensively soon. I'd rather pick him over Smalling any time.

 

[nesty]

Easy to blame him for the slip watching real time. If you actually take the time to rewatch the goal you'll see 4 Newcastle players flooded into the box against 2 United defenders. Oh, and it was Matic who lost his man and scored.

Not saying he was incredible however I can't remember him doing too much wrong the rest of the game. That's a good sign in my book.

 

[SachinJ22]

Thank God Mourinho isn't as fickle as some of the fans here, it's stupid to blame one player for the mistake of 3 other players. Young was nowhere to be seen, Smalling was too slow to stop the cross from coming in and Matic lost his man. And Smalling with his panicking when he gets the ball doesn't help either. You can't expect a player to magically get accustomed to the PL in a couple of months, obviously he will be nervous playing for a big team in front a big crowd.