Your underrating of Carrick is borderline criminal. Carrick has been instrumental in winning us several titles and been part of the team that was in the CL finals thrice in four years including winning it once. Quite how Blind, who to be fair is intelligent is better than Carrick is beyond me.
17
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 29
- Clean sheets
- 9
- Goals
- 2
- Assists
- 3
- Yellow cards
- 4
Your underrating of Carrick is borderline criminal. Carrick has been instrumental in winning us several titles and been part of the team that was in the CL finals thrice in four years including winning it once. Quite how Blind, who to be fair is intelligent is better than Carrick is beyond me.
Where did i say Blind was better than Carrick?
You suggested that Blind is more intelligent than Carrick. Yes?
Hardly, I rate Blind higher than Carrick and there are a hell of a lot or people who would agree, especially supporters of other clubs, equally there is a huge amount of fans who rate Carrick higher.
He's nowhere near Carrick. It's a laughable to even suggest so at this point given he's played about 5 games in midfield for us and not done anything out of the ordinary in any of them.
No, i said Blind is better at making himself available for a pass and at keeping the ball under control and moving. Whilst theres a good reason we went on that winning streak with Carrick, theres also a good reason we play with a vast ocean between defence and midfield when Blind isnt there.
Scored a goal? That's out of the ordinary for a defensive midfielder.
I wouldn't say Carrick does anything out of the ordinary either. I wouldn't expect a defensive midfielder to be doing something unexpected.
Carrick's been a lot better defensively. Blind looks like heh as a good pass on him and is generally positive on the ball but his defensive game needs work.
I know Carrick has been here a while, and has been a top player here for a while, however this season I see no difference in the level of performance between the two players.
Its blatently obvious what we miss when Blind isn't in the team, and its also obvious what we miss when Carrick isn't.
If LVG was smart he would build the team around those two players being corner stone of the midfield.
Its blatently obvious what we miss when Blind isn't in the team, and its also obvious what we miss when Carrick isn't.
If LVG was smart he would build the team around those two players being corner stone of the midfield.
I think they've both been good defensively in different ways. Carrick has much better anticipation. he always knows where to be. He makes it look easy, the way he just steps into interceptions. Blind has been good too. He's mobile, he gets stuck in and makes great challenges. He harries the man in possession and presses more than Carrick does. Both players are fairly poor at set piece marking though.
I think Carrick's composure edges it, but Blind has been the best of our summer signings, and overall one of our best players, along with Carrick.
Blind gets so much hate on Dutch forums. Almost everyone except Ajax supporters hate him. He's too slow, he doesnt have any strenght, he cant shoot and the most heard opinion is 'he doesnt pass any ball forward, he's a sideway passer who doesnt take any risk'.
Even when our national team is playing almost everyone dislikes him. Just like RVP.
Funny thing is, i believe redcafe voted him MOTM in our last game against Southampton but in Dutch forums they call him the worse player on the field....
Even when our national team is playing almost everyone dislikes him. Just like RVP.
Funny thing is, i believe redcafe voted him MOTM in our last game against Southampton but in Dutch forums they call him the worse player on the field....
I'm not sure on this. They both show lots of intelligence, but I would say they both excel in different areas.
Blind's ability to offer himself for a pass and to be in space is better than Carrick. By some distance I think. The games against Chelsea and City where he was on his own in midfield. Compare those to Carrick against Arsenal, who whilst being good defensively was almost seemingly hiding from the ball. However, I think Carrick spreads the play better, moves it into the attackers better, knows when to play the ball low and hard or when to have it hold and hang.
I also think Blinds covering of space and sniffing out potential danger is better. A moment against Chelsea really amplifies this notion. Hazard carried the ball forward on the left, our whole squad got dragged across, he brought it inside and switched it to Willian. Whilst the rest of our squad was busy turning and shuffling back up the pitch desperately, Blind was there, waiting.. he won the ball immediately, danger snuffed before it had really begun. Again, another contrast - N'Zonzi goal for Stoke where Carrick gets dragged towards Bojan/Assaidi after Fellaini had lost it. We ended up with 3 players ball chasing pretty much, and an N'Zonzi standing completely free in the middle on the edge of our box.
I think Blind is better at pressing. Multiple times a game we'll see him pushing someone back towards their own goal. Not once yet do I remember him getting overturned as a result, because he seems to pick his moments very well. When other players do, one ball later and they've taken themselves out of the game and are desperately trying to recover. Not Blind.. not yet anyway.
Carrick is more likely to put in a last ditch tackle or block. He's less likely to get dribbled as he screens well but always keeps himself in contention. I don't think he gets taken on quite as much. Not that Blind does much either, but more.
Looking at the stats, Blind averages 2.8 tackles and 3 interception per game this season. Carrick 1.8 and 1.5 respectively. To caveat this, Blind has mostly played in the diamond formation with 4 at the back, and Carrick 5 at the back. If we take Carricks from last season, it's 2.1 and 2.8. Season before 2.3 and 2.1. Both lower, but again admittedly, he wasn't quite 'alone' (though it seemed that way) in the midfield so had less opportunity to make tackles/interceptions presumably.
I appreciate that I'm trying to paint a picture of generic strengths over another using individual moments. But whilst those moments stick with me and lend as a good comparison, I wouldn't say that I let them dictate my over-arching thoughts.
For the most part, they are completely interchangeable. They outshade eachother in different areas but they are accomplished at absolutely everything required for the role.
Last edited:
Didn't look like Championship player? That's not ordinary for United midfielder.
But is ajax one of those clubs where you either like them or you don't. If that's the case the fact he's an Ajax or ex Ajax player might contribute to the hate.
This it's really getting on my nervers and it's just laughable, the contrast between the ratings of Blind here and over there are huge, the majority would tell you that fecking Clasie is much better.
Didn't he just win Eriedivisie player of the year last season?
He did, but I think there were some Ajax legends in the jury so it's not acknowledge as right here.
It's quite funny as, these we're the same people all saying Blind isn't good enough for United and we shouldn't sign him. Hes actually been our best signing of the summer so far. Comes back from injury and is striaght back in the starting 11, none of this needs to get back match rythm and fitness nonsense.
Sure, he's proven a ton of us wrong.
I thought at the price he'd be a good signing for us. But I now see him as a huge part of our team going forward for a long time. I think he'll be a massive player for us, and has potential to be a United captain.
And yet as soon as Carrick was back in the line up we went on a decent run where we won a lot of games.
I strongly disagree. Carrick looks great when there is absolutely no pressure on him, while Blind can cope with it and still be effective.
I don't think there is much between them in terms of defensive attributes, certainly not a lot. Daley has better interception/tackle ratio too.
Sure.. but I think that was somewhat coincidental. We'd been playing some good stuff up to then and played well against Chelsea and City. In terms of the midfield battle, we haven't looked so accomplished against those 2 in a while for the most part. And Blind played a huge part in that.
Results wise we've done better with Carrick in the team but performance wise, we've been better with Blind in the team. However, I would say that I think it would have been the same pattern either way.
The main difference is that our results were inconsistent with 4 at the back. Then we went on a good period of results (with some awful performances) with 5 at the back (mostly). Swap Carrick or Blind or have one for all and I think it would have pretty much been the same.
Carrick wasn't the only change for one, Fellaini made a big impact too.
EDIT: And of course switch to 3 at the back
Another fair point.
I think Blind and Carrick are interchangeable. I think they outshade eachother in different areas but ultimately both are accomplished at absolutely everything required for that role.
Is this relevant? Look at how many lucky results and poor performances we've had since Carrick is back, I doubt it has to do with them per se. Actually, just name the decent to okay performances we've had since Carrick is back, total irrelevant post.
spot on.
Nice post, just to add that Carrick is faster then Blind and stronger. The speed thing could be a little problem, but as long as someone is behind him, his reading of the game will fix it (also a Chelsea game, when Hazard just left him, but he didn't run after him, but moved in a different position, so when Rafael attacked Hazard, Blind was already waiting behind).
Anyway, I like them both.
Yeah I'd love to see how we'd do with the two of them in the side for an extended period. Something like this maybe?
Herrera could fill in anywhere in midfield I'd say. Fellaini or even Jones could fill in for Blind and Carrick when they're injured. Plus whatever midfielder I'd hope we'd get soon.
That is the side and formation I've been suggesting all season, I really hope we get to see it at some point.Yeah I'd love to see how we'd do with the two of them in the side for an extended period. Something like this maybe?
Herrera could fill in anywhere in midfield I'd say. Fellaini or even Jones could fill in for Blind and Carrick when they're injured. Plus whatever midfielder I'd hope we'd get soon.
Yeah me too. This is a little off topic but you could also have a 433 with Blind, Carrick and ADM/Herrera as the midfield 3 but with the amount of number 10s we have, I think it might be better to have Blind and Carrick there on their own. Our defence isn't great at moving the ball forward but if you have Blind and Carrick in front of them, it surely wouldn't be a problem.
We should just play Carrick and Blind in a 4-2-3-1 system with them as double pivots. The 3 attackers in front could be anyone of Mata,Di Maria,Rooney,Januzaj and Herrera. The system also has the advantage of us playing a lone forward, a role in which RvP and Falcao have shined in before.
Edit: Damn it!! @Tyrion had just posted something similiar above...
Edit: Damn it!! @Tyrion had just posted something similiar above...
Yeah I'd love to see how we'd do with the two of them in the side for an extended period. Something like this maybe?
Herrera could fill in anywhere in midfield I'd say. Fellaini or even Jones could fill in for Blind and Carrick when they're injured. Plus whatever midfielder I'd hope we'd get soon.
Yes. Swapping Mata with Januzaj and then even Rooney with Herrera/Mata (playing Rooney up top or either of the other two).
I'm really hoping for a midfield 3, with Carrick and Blind in the middle and an AM in front of them, with two wide players. Super impressed to see Blind play a whole game, looking solid through-out after that lengthy absence. Definitely prefer him in midfield though.
I was thinking that but I think with the amount of number 10s we have a 433 might cause issues as we'd either play narrow or shove Rooney/Mata out to the wings. A 4231 would let us attack similar to the diamond imo plus Blind and Carrick should be stronger defensively and give LVG the ability to play the possession game he wants.
@Tyrion
That's what I was trying to get at. If we'd play Herrera/Mata as an AM ahead of Carrick and Blind, and in between di Maria and Januzaj. I'd prefer to play an actual AM there and play Rooney (or van Persie or Falcao) as a lone striker.
The problem with this is we've obviously got 3 star strikers on massive wages all expecting to play all the time. But it's better them being disappointed and the team being balanced than continuing playing players out of position.
That's what I was trying to get at. If we'd play Herrera/Mata as an AM ahead of Carrick and Blind, and in between di Maria and Januzaj. I'd prefer to play an actual AM there and play Rooney (or van Persie or Falcao) as a lone striker.
The problem with this is we've obviously got 3 star strikers on massive wages all expecting to play all the time. But it's better them being disappointed and the team being balanced than continuing playing players out of position.
Q.P.R. 0:2 Man Utd
I like this guy more and more. Very intelligent player.
That pass to Wilson 
Not his best match but still okay to good, he can be a key player for us.
Very tidy, consistent player that most don't notice, sort of like Irwin was.