he's pretty good at football, sort of, but watching him is like doing a replay on FIFA and putting it to 0.5x speed, except everyone else is still at normal speed other than him.
17
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 29
- Clean sheets
- 9
- Goals
- 2
- Assists
- 3
- Yellow cards
- 4
Performed as expected this season IMO. Nice back up player to have and infinitely better than cleverley/Anderson.
Played well - unlucky with the shot that hit smalling. I think that was curling in. Typical of our luck at the minute.
i wish he was just that bit quicker and stronger.
I think it was definitely going in. For a player that is supposed to be primarily defensive he's a great nack of picking out the corner of the goal from range.
had a good season , second best signing of the year.
Hull City 0:0 Man Utd
Solid enough today, seemed to heed the need to stay deeper in the #6 role.
I just think he plays too casual. He just doesn't show decisiveness in his running, passing or marking
Will get better as he acclimates to the Premier League. Already feels like he has taken Darren Fletchers role as the whipping boy of the team. Well I guess he will take the official mantel if Jonny Evans leaves this summer.
Needs a rest. Overall a very good first season for him.
I was quite impressed with him at the start of the season. But he seems to have got worse. He's certainly not able to be the only CM. Also the way LvG uses him, as almost a third CB to bring the ball out of defense doesn't suit him either but might me necessary as our defenders can't control a football to save their life let alone actually passing the ball to a teammate.
Blind admitted that he's struggled at the end of the season and he did look tired in some games. It can be understood he had all that responsibility at the world cup after a great season with Ajax and then he hits the ground running as soon as he gets here in a new league which is much more physical than the Dutch league.
I think he's our 2nd best signing after Herrera.
I think he's our 2nd best signing after Herrera.
Judging from this alone season his best position is Left back. United had a pretty disappointing record when he's replaced Carrick.
Ideal player to have in the squad.
7/10
Ideal player to have in the squad.
7/10
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Thought he was probably our best player today although that doesn't account for a whole lot. Really solid signing, there's a possibility he can make the step up in the next few seasons but if he doesnt he'll still be a brilliant squad player. I think once the team perfects its pressing game it'll help him greatly, less space between the defense and midfield for his lack of pace to be exposed.
Is Blind really going for the Ibra look? I thought that was just for the awards.
I dont think Blind will become a squad player, he might never be good enough to replace Carrick, but from what I've observed from him, he breathes football. Eventually he'd go to a lesser club, just to play.
He's the best and I love him.
Feel like he's been retrospectively downgraded by a lot of people. I thought he was generally excellent in both positions, and was just unfortunate enough to have a couple of his poorest performances in a couple of high-expectation, high profile games. He's no long-term Carrick replacement but I have no problem with him playing there.
I thought he started well, which was a bit of a surprise given he had a long world cup. But faded after Feb. He was almost reinvigorated by moving to LB but i still thought that burst of energy he had at the start had faded.
I put it down to injury and a long world cup. My hopes are, with a summer off, he comes back even better.
People's opinions of him have been swung massively by the last few months. At one point didn't he win a poll for our outfield player of the season so far? Every game people would come into the thread to commend him as a 7/10 player every game and say how intelligent he is.
When players of a higher calibre taking steps down from Barcelona/Real Madrid struggled towards the end of the Premier League season (Sanchez, Fabregas, Di Maria, even Costa to some extent) it's crazy how much people have let these last few months influence their ultimate opinion of Blind. He's only recently 25, young for his position, and has come from the Dutch league. Not forgetting that he's had a few injuries, been moved around a ton (all demanding positions too) and was 9th for distance covered at last years World Cup - something we've seen catch up with plenty of other players.
This is a player who the world cup winning German team used as a case study in defending through the knockout stages to the final. For a first season, considering the circumstances, he's been great for us. And as much as people want to doubt him, he's always played when available. Van Gaal clearly has huge trust in him, he's never been left on the bench when even half-fit.
When players of a higher calibre taking steps down from Barcelona/Real Madrid struggled towards the end of the Premier League season (Sanchez, Fabregas, Di Maria, even Costa to some extent) it's crazy how much people have let these last few months influence their ultimate opinion of Blind. He's only recently 25, young for his position, and has come from the Dutch league. Not forgetting that he's had a few injuries, been moved around a ton (all demanding positions too) and was 9th for distance covered at last years World Cup - something we've seen catch up with plenty of other players.
This is a player who the world cup winning German team used as a case study in defending through the knockout stages to the final. For a first season, considering the circumstances, he's been great for us. And as much as people want to doubt him, he's always played when available. Van Gaal clearly has huge trust in him, he's never been left on the bench when even half-fit.
He's had way more good games than bad games, but those bad games came mostly towards the end of the season, so are fresh in the memory. Going back through this thread, everyone was gushing over his performances for most of the season. After he returned from injury, lots here were saying how he was better than Carrick (I don't agree with that, but he was definitely playing well). Then at the end of the season he played 3 or 4 poor games, and now some are saying he should never ever play in midfield. It's bonkers.
Good, solid first season at the club.
Good squad player - very good one in fact. And I think thats what we bought him as. Injuries have meant that he has started more games than expected but I don't see how he can be a first choice starter. That said with our injury record he will still start a lot of games
People's opinions only seem to have swung massively because many were so blinded (no pun intended) by the sheer fact we had a semi-competent midfielder playing. It was a sin to criticize him early on. People were being told they weren't intelligent enough to spot his quality.
The same things that some pointed out are now being acknowledged more widely, that's all.
Nobody's said anything too out there, really. He's ideally a squad player (a term which seems to have a negative connotation, but shouldn't) and he'll probably rack up a good 30 games next season, even if he's relegated to squad player. His biggest flaw, in my opinion (flat-footed and slow* without the passing range/speed to compensate) will restrict him from being a starting midfielder in a top European side. Perhaps there will be success, if he's partnered in such a way to reduce the impact of his flaws, but there will always be a number of better alternatives to Blind.
It's a shame, because he's been taught well, he's probably got a better understanding of most roles than most players out there, and he's a secure passer. He'll get games in midfield next season (probably a good number of games), and I don't think anyone is against that. but I don't think he's a long term first choice midfielder here at United.
*For reference, I'd say that while Carrick is seen as slow, he's not flat-footed. He can still move and turn relatively well, whereas Blind is slow and heavy-footed. Plus Carrick's passing range, passing speed, and one-touch play compensates, which isn't the case for Blind, who's even more physically limited.
The same things that some pointed out are now being acknowledged more widely, that's all.
Nobody's said anything too out there, really. He's ideally a squad player (a term which seems to have a negative connotation, but shouldn't) and he'll probably rack up a good 30 games next season, even if he's relegated to squad player. His biggest flaw, in my opinion (flat-footed and slow* without the passing range/speed to compensate) will restrict him from being a starting midfielder in a top European side. Perhaps there will be success, if he's partnered in such a way to reduce the impact of his flaws, but there will always be a number of better alternatives to Blind.
It's a shame, because he's been taught well, he's probably got a better understanding of most roles than most players out there, and he's a secure passer. He'll get games in midfield next season (probably a good number of games), and I don't think anyone is against that. but I don't think he's a long term first choice midfielder here at United.
*For reference, I'd say that while Carrick is seen as slow, he's not flat-footed. He can still move and turn relatively well, whereas Blind is slow and heavy-footed. Plus Carrick's passing range, passing speed, and one-touch play compensates, which isn't the case for Blind, who's even more physically limited.
will be a good player to stick into a better United side when we have a few injuries or players need rested......with new signings and a better starting 11 he will be a good squad player to use on occasion
think about Phil Neville back in the day partnering Scholes with talent like Vidic/Rio behind him and good imaginative exciting attackers in front
his best games were those ones vrs Spurs/Liverpool where he deputised for Shaw though...definitely a more natural position for him
think about Phil Neville back in the day partnering Scholes with talent like Vidic/Rio behind him and good imaginative exciting attackers in front
his best games were those ones vrs Spurs/Liverpool where he deputised for Shaw though...definitely a more natural position for him
Good post.
Blind is the type of player that is important to the team and the manager. Plays multiple positions and does a good job in those positions! These types arent always appreciated by fans
A potential Carrick 2.0 when it comes to underestimated players in a few years time.
Disagree. There's been a noticeable drop off in his performance level as the season progressed. As @ALock1 pointed out, this is something that's happened with a lot of WC players (including our own Wayne Rooney)
Maybe, maybe not. So far, he isnt even close and wouldnt start in midfield if it wasnt for injuries. Right now, he's a much better LB
Funny fact is that a lot of the critics Blind gets have been used for Carrick in the beginning as well. Carrick has massively improved his passing game during the last years.
If we can get someone like Gündogan I might agree to use Blind as a squad player. Otherwise he should be played as DM on a regular basis.
I am not really a fan of him playing as LB.
He's had a good first season, adapted well to the PL and was very useful for us. Let's see how he does in the second before declaring what his future here will be. Currently he's a massive part of the team, for me, and there's no reason to believe he will have any less importance next season. We'll see though.
His performance levels dropped, but I think that just exposed the weaknesses. Obviously opinions will change along with his performances.
My point was regarding the degree of the change of opinion. I think he was being praised for basic intelligence and skill. Maybe he's being harshly criticized now though, and the truth sits somewhere in the middle.
I guess we'll see what he produces next season.
I don't see him as similar to Carrick in many ways, to be honest. Carrick never had Blind's biggest weakness, and his passing game was better from day one, from what I remember (though I was young).
I agree that he should be playing if we don't sign someone better. Nobody's suggesting he drops to bottom of the pecking order. He's not a bad player. Being a squad player isn't a bad thing anyway. He'll still play 30 games anyway. But the player you'd put in your best XI in a top tie, with everyone fit?
Funnily enough, Strootman was being compared to Gareth Barry. I'd actually say that Blind is much closer to Gareth Barry, style-wise (the City/Everton version of Barry). And I'd say Blind's peak level will be about Barry's peak level, if I had to predict.
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His early season praise was severely over the top probably because people got excited. Aside from the QPR game, we were overrun in several of the early games and he was often found chasing back towards his own goal because he had been caught out of position. Even in the City game where we only lost 1-0, for 70 minutes City played us off the park (even before the red before someone brings that up). Once he came back from injury he looked even worse. It was only after we moved him to LB that he started looking good and that's where should play if Shaw is injured.
He's shown nothing as a DM to suggest he should even be a back up there let alone start games. Needs to tone down his aggressiveness and use his brains more often when he plays there.
He's shown nothing as a DM to suggest he should even be a back up there let alone start games. Needs to tone down his aggressiveness and use his brains more often when he plays there.
Yes, I have been saying this for a while so it's nice to see someone else with the same opinion.
Agree completely
Out of interest, what is Blind's "biggest weakness"? His strength (lack of such)? He can be muscled off the ball, but Carrick isn't exactly the incredible hulk either.
He's very flat-footed as well as slow.
Thus his turning circle is poor, he can barely dribble past anyone or dribble his way out of serious pressure, he gets dribbled past, and is slow from a stand-still.
Even some of the slower midfielder out there, like Carrick, aren't also flat-footed. Plus someone like Carrick has the passing game to compensate.
Edit: forgot to mention his reach, which is also lacking. He needs to steady himself quite bit, because once the ball travels slightly beyond his reach, he seems to struggle to get it. Partly because he's flat footed.
You could say the same for Gareth Barry as you do for Blind (in terms of the slow and flat-footedness), but Barry had/has the added strength to him to at least slightly compensate. As you said, Blind's also not the strongest.
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