I didn't think he had his best game today, I was cursing him for not playing the simple ball more often
17
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 29
- Clean sheets
- 9
- Goals
- 2
- Assists
- 3
- Yellow cards
- 4
For the Chelsea/City games we need a five men midfield behind Falcao, no doubt about it otherwise they will tear us a new one.
--------Blind---Carrick------
-----------Herrera-----------
--Rooney--------Di Maria--
Don't think anyone would be too unhappy with that midfield. It's light-years ahead of anything we've put out in recent years.
Pretty much all those players (in the central 3) are solid, work hard, have tactical discipline, pass well and aren't just one-dimensional destroyers.
Rooney is suspended for it, well the Chelsea game at least. I think we'll see:
Carrick
Herrera Blind
Di Maria
Van Persie Falcao
Probably what we'll do for big games all the time this season when all are fit (put in Rooney for RvP of course). Gives us Di Marias ability and pace and pressing as an attacking mid, you have Herrera's creativity further back but also the defensive qualities of Carrick and Blind.Herrera Blind
Di Maria
Van Persie Falcao
That is also a solid line up but I don't think the diamond has enough balance to shut out a team like Chelsea or City, we need our dangerous players on the wings to pin back their full backs and at the same time avoid a two on one on the flanks. If Rooney is out then Januzaj plays instead, carrying two No.9s in this type of match is asking for trouble imo.
When we defend we've generally used a flat 4-3-3, Mata pushing up in the middle and the strikers defending wider so that we don't get isolated on the flanks. Di Maria in the hole would have a free role pretty much, to drop deeper or drift out to the flanks or run and press through the middle. Don't think there's any chance Januzaj starts against City/Chelsea in place of one of our strikers anyways, unless we get an injury, but I think there's every chance that it could work with the players we have. Herrera and Blind are both hard workers and having Carrick behind will let them roam the pitch more and close down wider areas, knowing there are 2 others in the middle always.
I would love to play this lineup against Chelsea, i think with this lineup we can go toe to toe against them or any other top side, with Herrera, Carrick and Blind we have enough defensive players as Herrera likes to get stuck in and is very adopt defensively, while with Herrera, Di Maria, Falcao and Rvp we have more than enough attacking ability to hurt them, if i were LVG, against Chelsea i might play Janujaz in place of Rvp, Janujaz and ADM running at Terry or Cahill would certainly test them and Terry might slip and give away a penalty, Rvp and Falcao both physical strikers are the one's terry, Ivanovic and Cahill likes going against.
A Blind/Carrick combo would be good in possesion, but I do worry that they would struggle to match the physicality of a team like Chelsea. We still lack that proper physical presence in the centre imo.
I agree especially when RVP is offering nothing for me to justify handing over control of the match to the opposition.
Today he was terrific
Strootman cannot come in soon enough. The issue being is Blind suited to be more advanced than the DM role? I thought even DM was further forward than his normal position?
Yeah, I reckon Strootman will probably be the answer to that particular conundrum. No idea which role suits Blind better though, he looks very good in the role he's playing now, I just think idealy he needs someone else in there with him that can put themselves about a bit more.
That's why i don't mind seeing valencia in big games.
It's the best we can do to be honest, but it's really not that bad. Carrick is a pretty good physical presence and if he can get even close to his 12/13 form (I think he can) then he'd be a great player to have in there. Just adds so much calmness on and off the ball.
I'd much prefer:
-----------Carrick---------
Herrera----Blind-----Di Maria
----------Mata---------
--------------Falcao--------
Credit to him, he did well enough today. You could see the differnce it made when Fellaini came on and started running round like a headless chicken.
It'll do for now (well it'll have to) but long term I expect a few new bodies in midfield, and I do fear for us against Chelsea/City.
Love him.
Just get Scholes in to teach him how to shoot. Please.
Just get Scholes in to teach him how to shoot. Please.
Think we'll get Strootman in January so I won't have many worries long term. Herrera, Strootman in front of Blind or Carrick is a perfectly balanced midfield trio IMO, behind Di Maria, Falcao and then either a winger like Januzaj or a striker like Rooney.
Amazing player, my favorite United player now. Watched United live for the first time ever and thought Blind was calm & very composed and won the ball in midfield quite often. Loved it!!!
??? Didn't scholes play this role quite successfully a few times towards the end of his career?
I thought he was very good today. Particularly in the first half. Very intelligent young man!
He has been good so far and was brilliant in the first half today. He seems to fade fairly rapidly around the hour mark though and seems to lose his positioning, making big holes through the middle. Hopefully his stamina picks up as we go through the season.
Before this game his shooting looked pretty good, had quite a few long range efforts well struck that were on target. Just didn't go well for him today I think. I reckon he'll score a screamer or two this season
Yes, but if you noticed the whole team was a bit niggly in the second half, gave a little too much space to Everton. He had to cover a lot of ground and his hopefully his stamina will pick up. I am quite confident that Blind's over all play will improve. He seems to be a manager's player like wanting to repay all the faith that he is being shown by being asked to play in midfield.
That driving ball forward,,oh how ive missed you.
Yeah it sometimes carries too far or is a little ,but it puts all the players in advanced position,controlling and turning for goal,or in at it.
He s a wee belter,always moving ,thinking,reading what going on.
Yeah it sometimes carries too far or is a little ,but it puts all the players in advanced position,controlling and turning for goal,or in at it.
He s a wee belter,always moving ,thinking,reading what going on.
I thought he was very good again today. I don't know where we'd be right now if we hadn't brought him in. He reads the game really well and, unlike Carrick, isn't afraid to put a challenge in. He really needs a bit more support defensively against top half opposition though.
Slowly becoming my favourite player at United right now
If Carrick is fit for West Brom I'd like to see Blind further up the pitch and Carrick play as the anchor.
Blind has done very well so far imo.
Blind has done very well so far imo.
I enjoyed his performance today.
Really good today IMO.
He hasn't faced a top opposition yet, but it's clear to see that he was a very good signing. Chelsea/City will be where we can see if he really has it to be the starting DM for United. Tremendous improvement on Fletcher/Fellaini/Cleverley/Anderson
He reminds me of what I thought Hargreaves would be, except the left footed and Dutch part. Oh and this one will definitely never score goals. But that tenacity and crisp passing is more than enough in his role.
I think I understand what you are saying. However, I see it more like this...in past games the opposition was pressing him a bit more and he was quite effective moving the ball around quickly to maintain possession. In the first half of the Everton match he was actually given quite a bit more room to operate. Therefore, instead of the quick one touch passing, he was actually able to stride with the ball forward and play more decisive passes. Think of the pass which sprung Rafael down the right for the cross that lead to the ADM goal. In the second half Everton pressed up more, partially looking for the equalizer, but I also thought it was in no small part to changes they made in not wanting to give Blind as much time as he had because it looked too easy for us with the ball at his feet. Full credit to him.
Right there with you.
I had this in another thread, but the more I think about it the more I think it makes sense to just play Herrera as the 10 and let Valencia help out Rafael with Hazard. Not sure Mata would get much change out of Matic there, whereas Herrera's superior mobility could cause them more problems. Agreed on the rest, though.
Seems like he's a bit wasted to play just as a 'pure' DM, screening the defence. His positioning and tackling aren't that great, whilst his energy and passing would make him a good box to box CM.
I don't know, I think it does suit him. He knows where to be and IMO makes it easier for the transition to happen between defence and midfield. His passing is good, he's good at intercepting. The only thing is he at times looks a little slow and not as physical. I wouldn't change where he plays. He will only get better once the understanding grows. After all, he kinda does stitch to the team together. Everyone is looking and feeding off him at the start of our possessions.
He is intelligent and calm. He has the technical ability to match as well. I like him a lot.
Seems like when we're defending, the opponent often have free shots from the center, right on where a DM supposed to be. Don't get me wrong, I like that we have player like him who is technically good, good passer, and willing to work hard.
Compared to Fellaini as DM, Blind is like Busquets and Makelele being fused together. But I'm just being spoiled watching Carrick for years, with his clever positioning.
If Carrick is fit for the Chelsea match, I could see this being effective.
Carrick
Valencia - Blind
Herrera
Di Maria - One of our #9s
I think Blind is intelligent enough to do a job there and it would give us a solid side defensively that has the pace and movement to catch out opposition on the counter.
Carrick
Valencia - Blind
Herrera
Di Maria - One of our #9s
I think Blind is intelligent enough to do a job there and it would give us a solid side defensively that has the pace and movement to catch out opposition on the counter.
I really enjoy watching him play. So efficient and intelligent.
Quickly for me
