His off the ball is lacking? Look how he positions himself, always available for the pass and when the opposition has the bal, he reads the game so quick in order to intercept, he has the most interceptions in per game in the league. Could be 2nd or something like that. He can even offer offensively, dont know what you expect more from a CDM.
17
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 29
- Clean sheets
- 9
- Goals
- 2
- Assists
- 3
- Yellow cards
- 4
I agree but how much better given he is 24?
He struggles to shut people down and players drift by him to easily imo. A good player but far from top class needed.
Carrick's best season was 12/13 when he was 31 years old. Pirlo, Alonso, Makelele were definitely not young yet still regarded as the best around.
Blind has plenty of time to develop and improve his skill set. Another year, maybe 2 or 3 more... Players generally peak at the ages of 26, 27 or 28.
Best crosser at the club
I'm still a bit amazed at how Blind can be so underrated even after playing 30 odd games for the club and being good in virtually all but few. It almost appears like he cannot be top class for some because he's come from Eredivisie and not Premier League.
If he can play through the lines like Carrick developed for us, he'll be an astonishing player. His defensive work doesn't go unnoticed, however when Carrick isn't there we lack a penetrative passer. He tries and there are examples of when he's set up attacks from midfield, but he hasn't got that forward pass instinct Carrick has just yet. I imagine he'll pick that up if he plays centrally more often.
It's excellent having that player again though, the one who can cover a variety of positions and do the job well wherever. He'll always hit 30 games a season, but I don't believe he'll hold down a position unless we really feck up and don't bring in that big time CM to phase Carrick out as he enters his twilight years.
It's excellent having that player again though, the one who can cover a variety of positions and do the job well wherever. He'll always hit 30 games a season, but I don't believe he'll hold down a position unless we really feck up and don't bring in that big time CM to phase Carrick out as he enters his twilight years.
Is Daley Blind the 'Total Footballer'?
Nice piece, agree with a lot of it.
It annoys me people undervalue Blind, I honestly see him as the heir to Carrick's throne.
Nice piece, agree with a lot of it.
It annoys me people undervalue Blind, I honestly see him as the heir to Carrick's throne.
He'll never be really rated, in Holland the general consensus still is that the likes of Clasie or Guardado are miles better, or that Willems is a better option for the LB. You see some here going on and on about pace, as if we play a fifa 15 comp every week..Is Daley Blind the 'Total Footballer'?
Nice piece, agree with a lot of it.
It annoys me people undervalue Blind, I honestly see him as the heir to Carrick's throne.
I rate him high. He has been key these past few games and during the season he has done well in whatever position he has played in.
To be fair to Carrick, that stat needs more info.
http://www.squawka.com/comparison-m...ks/defensive_errors/red_cards/yellow_cards#90
http://www.squawka.com/comparison-m...ks/defensive_errors/red_cards/yellow_cards#90
He's a better LB than midfielder imo.
But he doesn't have that special 'something' that no one seems to know what it is or wants to define it. He just doesn't have it. Maybe it's spraying around 30-40 yard pointless crossfield passes.Is Daley Blind the 'Total Footballer'?
Nice piece, agree with a lot of it.
It annoys me people undervalue Blind, I honestly see him as the heir to Carrick's throne.
And people say Shaw is a better LB.
http://www.squawka.com/comparison-m...ks/defensive_errors/red_cards/yellow_cards#90
http://www.squawka.com/comparison-m...ks/defensive_errors/red_cards/yellow_cards#90
I feel like the main problem with people underrating Blind comes down to the fact that he isn't necessarily a flashy player and he isn't English. Most of what he does really well goes unnoticed to people who only watch the game in a dumbed down perspective - i.e. you're only good if you score goals, are flashy, and have great technical ability. Blind is a fantastic reader of the game. His pressing is amazing, his interception rate is very high, and he consistently makes the right pass nearly every time. He does the simple things of football incredibly well, and he doesn't need to have that special something or be flashy to do it.
And for anyone who claims that him lacking pace hinders him as a player is simply not true. You can be one of the slowest players on the pitch, but if you read the game in real-time faster than most other players on the pitch then you don't need to have a whole lot of pace. Blind is a player that isn't that fast physically, but is incredibly quick mentally. There's a reason that his interception rate in higher than any other player in Europe.
If Blind was English, German, or Spanish then people would absolutely be raving about him.
And for anyone who claims that him lacking pace hinders him as a player is simply not true. You can be one of the slowest players on the pitch, but if you read the game in real-time faster than most other players on the pitch then you don't need to have a whole lot of pace. Blind is a player that isn't that fast physically, but is incredibly quick mentally. There's a reason that his interception rate in higher than any other player in Europe.
If Blind was English, German, or Spanish then people would absolutely be raving about him.
Shaw is the long-term LB for the club. We didn't buy Blind to be our new LB, we bought him to be an anchor in midfield. The fact that he's played well at LB just goes to his testament as a very good player, and shouldn't take away from Shaw's ability and future potential.
Most people thought Carrick wasn't good enough until Neville told them otherwise. Until someone like Neville jams it down peoples throats they just won't get Daley's ability.
Usually deep lying playmakers develop their passing through-out their career, and Blind has already showed signs of having a great range of passing. It is clearly not at the level of Carrick/Pirlo/Alonso and so forth, but Carrick at the age of Blind didn't have that kind of passing range either and neither did Scholes.
Blind has an excellent defensive midfield game with a fairly strong passing. There hasn't been many deep lying playmakers who managed to combine a world class defense with the passing range and playmaking that defines the role.
I think we will just stare ourselves blind if we want to compare him to Carrick all the time, if he doesn't develop the passing range of a DLP then that is fine anyhow. There is nothing wrong if he goes the other way and develops his defensive side even further while remaining more of a metronome player on the ball.
He's already world class on the ball for a defensive midfielder, only the few deep lying playmakers are a fair bit better on the ball than him. Busquets, Verratti, Carrick, Pirlo, Alonso etc.
Blind has an excellent defensive midfield game with a fairly strong passing. There hasn't been many deep lying playmakers who managed to combine a world class defense with the passing range and playmaking that defines the role.
I think we will just stare ourselves blind if we want to compare him to Carrick all the time, if he doesn't develop the passing range of a DLP then that is fine anyhow. There is nothing wrong if he goes the other way and develops his defensive side even further while remaining more of a metronome player on the ball.
He's already world class on the ball for a defensive midfielder, only the few deep lying playmakers are a fair bit better on the ball than him. Busquets, Verratti, Carrick, Pirlo, Alonso etc.
Yup.
But I don't think that'll happen anytime soon. He's a similar player to Carrick but at the same time he's very different. Carrick relies more on his physicality and stature (whilst not massive, he very much uses it to his advantage) whilst Blind has superior stamina and as a result presses more frequently and at the right moment. It's why he has such a higher interception rate. He'll need to grow into his ability with vertical long passes, as Carrick curb stomps him in that position. That side, his cross field/crossing in general is excellent.
I agree. Blind indeed has got a great long pass in him, he just doesn't dare to use it as often. This benefits the team defensively, but going forwards he can still pick his moments a bit better. There's nothing to suggest he can't reach the level of Carrick, we'll have to give him a bit longer. It's only his first season.
First part is true, he isn't rated highly in Holland (although that's changing for the better every year). Willems is only 20 and an exceptional talent though: he's got 11 assists this year in the league, and 2 goals. He's got a perfect cross with both feet but is suspect defensively. I rate Blind, but I prefer Willems at LB aswell (so Blind can play in midfield).
This.
You're looking at him as if he's an aggressive ball winner. Not all defensive midfielders are pure ball winners. Not every #6 is required to be and is like Makelele. Blind doesn't need to be physical and aggressive to have the team regain possession. His intelligence off the ball is very useful in intercepting passes and stopping the opposition from quickly advancing. You won't see him win the ball like Schneiderlin, Wanyama, or Matic, but he'll be great at shielding the defence by being at the right place at the right time, just like Carrick, Busquets, or Alonso.
The only times I've seen Blind not perform so well is when he charges up to players and plays like a ball-winning midfielder. That's not his game, and he was better when he plays less aggressively like he is right now and like he was at the beginning of the season.
He may not have the long-range passing of Carrick, but he's still a very good passer, and we didn't buy Blind to be a deep-lying playmaker. I remember at the beginning of the season how people were talking about how Blind was playing the ball forward quicker than Carrick did and how he kept up our pace and tempo.
I like Blind but his physical limitations might hinder him becoming a great player
He has been an amazing signing to be fair. For the price, the under the rader value and his consistent performances this year - it's probably been 1 of the best first season's of a new signings I can think of in recent years.
Considering how a lot of people were underwhelmed, dreaming of Vidal etc, he has definitely won many people over.
Considering how a lot of people were underwhelmed, dreaming of Vidal etc, he has definitely won many people over.
I don't think that Iniesta or Xavi have great physical abilities... I'm not comparing Blind to them, but depending the type of game we play, the philosophy, I think that he's very well suited to that. He still has to improve if he wants to compete with Carrick in midfield, but he's very very clever.
I really think that when we impose our game, our tempo, then he's really suited to the game, and he will be very important also in Europe when the tactical and technical side will be more improtant
I don't think so, a lot of players have gone on to do great things despite being limited physically.
Yeah but Xavi and Iniesta were both exceptionally fast and pacey.
Or not.
I really don't get it with Blind. Consistently putting 7s & 8s performances this season but some people just won't ever believe he could be good enough. Physical limitation, came from Eredivisie, positionally poor, there's always something wrong even though there clearly... isn't.
I guess these stats only show that Carrick makes less tackles and less interceptions, but is better at rotating the ball and keeping possession (while being aggressive). I love Carrick, but I can see Blind holding down that CDM position for a few years. He needs to stop 'switching off' at times (i.e. when suddenly players start running past him), but I don't think its a pace issue. He does make up for that with his positioning.
I think the main thing that Carrick has over Blind is his quickness of thought in playing the pass (and then executing the pass - not that Blind isn't a very good passer, just not quite as good as Carrick, though that's hardly a criticism). Carrick seems to be more aware of where everyone is and what his options are quicker than Blind, and so we move the ball with more purpose when he's on the field. He is also more positionally(?) aware when it comes to taking up defensive positions in midfield (as that's his game, breaking down attacks through taking up intelligent positions, where Blind looks to go win the ball).
No reason why Blind can't at least match those attributes though, time is on his side.
No reason why Blind can't at least match those attributes though, time is on his side.
Which is why I expanded on the stats compared to the other which was blatantly made to make Blind better.
Also seems people forget that Blind was player of the year in the Eredivisie before he joined us.
I agree with that. I think for the position which might be suited best for him he is already quite great for his age and will become better within the next years.
Was his playing time mostly at LB or CM? Or was it 50:50?
Well he played CM for quite a bit as Carrick was injured and then even with Carrick when Carrick returned. I can't remember him playing much LB other than the last three games. There might have been one other game in September or October.
I meant for Ajax last season?
Don’t know. I think I read LB but maybe that was for the WC.
He was a CM at Ajax last season.
The best player in the league too.
11 out of 29 games as a LB, the rest CM. Although even when playing CM he was sometimes shifted to LB later on in the game. Frank de Boer much preferred him at CM, it was his ideal position, but due to Boilesen's injury proneness he still played LB now and then.
Interesting, clearly the claims that Clasie and Guardado are considered better in the Netherlands are bollocks then, seeing as he won POTY?
Was he played at the base of a midfield 3?
Blind our best signing of last summer? Although, Herrera could have been had LVG shown more faith earlier.