Such a weird, weird signing. I still don't know what was ever seen in him. In the last couple of games he's looked less terrible but it's hard to see him being anything other than an average centre back who's vulnerable to strong strikers.
2
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 40
- Clean sheets
- 8
- Goals
- 1
- Assists
- 1
- Yellow cards
- 3
- Status
Mourinho was quick to praise West Ham's scouts for finding Diop - I wonder if that was a dig at our own scouts for recommending Lindelöf? I mean, Jose didn't need to accept the signing but still. Shocking scouting at this football club.
Issa Diop looks a far better player all round and is 3 years younger. Not sure when being 24 was an excuse for a defender. There are numerous defenders who are younger performing at a higher level in the premier league...
The only surprising thing about his performance yesterday being that was his first own goal for us.
I don't really like shitting on our own players but this guy is the worst starting CB i have ever seen play for us.
It's not his fault, he just isn't good enough.
I don't really like shitting on our own players but this guy is the worst starting CB i have ever seen play for us.
It's not his fault, he just isn't good enough.
Jose needs to hush - he was the one that wanted Lindeolf
I wonder if Lindelöf should be converted to a right back. His lack of aerial ability and physical strength wouldn't be as big an issue, and he's got a bit of pace, and would have more time on the ball.
Massive issue with that is he wouldn't have any attacking zest, as say what we like about Valencia's end product, he certainly still gets up and down.
Best bet is a swift selling though, unless any new manager can work wonders.
Massive issue with that is he wouldn't have any attacking zest, as say what we like about Valencia's end product, he certainly still gets up and down.
Best bet is a swift selling though, unless any new manager can work wonders.
Patient?
Not being very good in the air isn't something he's likely to improve on whether he's here a year or 10 years regrettably.
He's like a Jonny Evans light. Weaker in the air and challenge, and without Evans strength in being good at interceptions.
Bonkers.
But then Bailly hasn't been much of a hit either. Jose used to be good at centre back picking.
This is true.
He couldn't really do much there, just a freak goal.
But generally, not good.
At least with Bailly, you can see the kinda defender he can become if he stops being stupid and fully focuses. I honestly don't know about Lindelof
Bailly has really disappointed me but he at least ticks a couple of boxes you'd expect for a top CB. Aggressive and athletic, good recovery abilities in the tackle.
Lindelöf doesnt tick a single box, not one. He reminds me of like, a soft/flair CM player being shoehorned into the back four, like a Mata or similar.
Thought him and Smalling have done fine recently, the rest of the team has been a massive fecking let down however.
Bailly has struggled with his form but when on song he’s a beastly defender and we have seen that, even if in glimpses, and despite people trying to be revisionists about it
Lindelof? he’s just been average to poor
Lindelof? he’s just been average to poor
"But in Portugal I control. I control inside information.
"I know the qualities of the people, I know many things about social life, about private life, I know because even without working for that, the informations are arriving."
https://www.google.no/amp/s/www.man...-united-transfer-victor-lindelof-13598328.amp
An insult of Jonny Evans. Evans is still a good defender but injury prone. Lindelof is like the "lighter" & taller version of Blind but worse passer and less intelligent than Blind.
Last edited by a moderator:
Not as good as Graeme Hogg but probably better than Colin Waldron, Prunier & Ian Ure.
To put this into context, Hogg's strengths were primarily size, violence & kicking the ball a long way. The others didn't really have any noticeable strengths.
To put this into context, Hogg's strengths were primarily size, violence & kicking the ball a long way. The others didn't really have any noticeable strengths.
Can he play DM?
Must be infuriating as part of a coaching set up speaking about yarmolenko being exclusively left footed, only to see him cut in at will all game
I don't think it was a dig, if Mourinho didn't think that highly of him why would he play him in every game so far this season?
It is his boy. If LvG had signed him, he would be in the stands.
If you look at United centrebacks; Smalling, Lindelöf, Jones, Bailly and Rojo, they are playing for their national teams (except Smalling who I think deserved a WC after last seasons performance). That makes me wonder if they have all turned in to something bad or if it is the environment (United/Mourinho). It is at least safe to say that Mourinho is not bringing out the best of the players, and that is not just for the defence but also for the midfield which looks totally without harmony.
Also consider though that they're nations that either have smaller talent pools and aren't exactly "top nations" (Sweden, Ivory Coast), one is a nation notorious for not producing amazing defensive players (Argentina) and the other one is England.
Can he play ?
Its very much the tactics.
We've played extra players at CB - Ander, Fellaini, McTominay and only Fellaini has worked out and that was against specific teams who are going to put lots of balls into the air for him to help Smalling to clear. Teams that keep the ball on the floor and look to break or play clever passes around the box inviting fouls, Fellaini is much less likely to work out.
So we've done that and it hasnt actually helped us defensively - other than Fellaini against specific teams. Ander played his man onside, we conceeded. McTominay with a whole host of problems. Its just been too many cooks in the kitchen and confused what people's responsibilities are. And obviously having the extra player hasnt helped us in attack.
We went down that path after Mourinho destabalized our defense, going into the season without our rock at the back Smalling nor his partner for our good run last season Jones. He went with Bailly and Lindelof, they were poor and conceeded so Mourinho went this ultra defensive route that didnt help us defend and its spiraled out of control from there.
Go back to playing a normal 2 CBs, or 3 CBs who know what they are doing and the players will know what their responsibilities are, and if their man scores they know they are to blame. They can take some responsibility. But playing Ander at CB? Well he's not a CB of course he'll make some mistakes adjusting. McTominay? He's not a CB, of course he'll make mistakes adjusting. And yes, at some point Fellaini will make a mistake too and it'll be the same, just a symptom of playing him in that position.
Im honestly baffled why the focus is on Lindeloff and others in the defence anyway when first we arent losing games because of poor defending, like you say when everything in front of them is so dysfunctional. Most games, we play with a midfield and forward line worth over 400m!!!! If they were doing their job, wouldnt be having these discussions...
To be frank the one real issue with Mourhino that I have is the Bailly issue. The guy hasn't played (not gonna include the Derby game) a serious game since the Brighton mistake and it's like he is being made an example of while the likes od Pogba get away with murder. Our only real agressive CB. Lindelof just isn't good enough
Problem is like Damian. We want to recover a significant chunk of our investment but on one will pay anywhere close to our ask because clubs have seen he is not PL material.
I agree. Live or die just play Bailly next to Smalling. I have defended Lindhelhof in the past but unfortunately he is just not good enough for United.
He's the ultimate nothing player.Sure we've had bad players,look at our current squad for evidence of that,but I've rarely ever seen a United player be so..nothing.
Time's up for this guy, not good enough. Feck what Mourinho thinks or how he compliments Smalling, or how he plays for Sweden. He doesn't have it in him, we are wasting time and better prospects.
Last edited:
I was starting to have doubts about my mental stability with Lindelof.
I was slowly thinking to myself that he was the construct of my insane imagination.I kept pointing at the screen saying "you see,there's a guy wearing the United shirt in defence.Right there.Look" but people,squinting, would reply "nah,cant see it ,mate"
I was going to call my local GP.Thought my time staying at the local Mental asylum was coming around.But thanks to Redcafe I now have evidence that this guy,named Lindelof,does infact exist.
I was slowly thinking to myself that he was the construct of my insane imagination.I kept pointing at the screen saying "you see,there's a guy wearing the United shirt in defence.Right there.Look" but people,squinting, would reply "nah,cant see it ,mate"
I was going to call my local GP.Thought my time staying at the local Mental asylum was coming around.But thanks to Redcafe I now have evidence that this guy,named Lindelof,does infact exist.
Wtf 
Another player (defender) we wont be able to sell anytime or is close to being good enough
Jones and Rojo are aggressive types too. Its almost all we have. No wonder we've had so many mistakes at the back
To be fair to the midfield, it does find itself sandwiched in between our attack & our defence.
The goal was unlucky. It was a huge deflection. I think Lindelof covers Shaw well when he heads upfield and unlike the other CB's he can pass. He doesn't panic and put the ball in to row Z. Having said that hes still nowhere near good enough for United. Use him as cover for RB maybe?
Doesn't make sense to me, surely for someone cost 30m or something he would have at least watched him before agree to the signing. We have been linked with Lindelof since January, he had Zlatan to ask, he had many sources in Portuguese league and he had 6 months to actually get to watch how Lindelof plays.
I disagree with that. He's too overrated to be called ball playing centre back. Get panic easily and can only pass the ball when no one pressure him just like the others.
It is true none of the countries are among the best in the world, but England and Argentina are still ok teams and Swedens defence has been very strong.
I agree with most of that, except I thought Smalling and Lindelof did pretty well during the final half last season. I think the rotations of centrebacks, midfielders and wingers in combination with weird positions for some players have made this team a mess.
Last year I totally agree, because United conceded very few goals. This season however the defence has been worse in combination with DDG has not been at the same level as last season so there is clearly a problem there. However I also believe there are way bigger problems in the midfield and also there is no good attack. The whole team look dysfunctional atm.
What do you mean by sandwiched? I think player by player United have a good midfield, but it is just not working.
As you've replied to me really. The CB area behind them is suspect. Attacking is not coherent or controlled, so getting forward is hard for the MF players, attacking moves just break down to leave them out of position all the time.
Some good players in there now though, like you say.
I agree, something is very off with that. Bailly for the most part has played really well when called upon, having slippages in form only during periods in which he comes back from injury. So for Jose to change his attitude towards him simply because of that game despite how many chances Smalling Jones and Rojo have had under him is almost criminal. i agree that he has issues to fix in his aerial ability, but aside for being rash at times, he alongside Smalling are our best defenders, the problem being that neither are good at starting on the left.
- Status