[Bloedrood]

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?

It depends who you ask. Feyenoord supporters will probably say Clasie is better. PSV supporters might say Guardado is better, although that seems a stretch. Ajax supporters will say Blind though, even if he is underrated. It's because he had a really bad start in the eredivisie, was basically written off already by Ajax supporters when he started turning things around. Bit of a cult figure because of it. It's like people are still meassuring his current performance to how he played when he started out, like they're still surprised how far he has come.

Ajax played with a 3 midfield, similar to that of Barcelona, with Blind in the Busquets role, and 2 other more attacking midfielders.

 

[Shiva87]

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 guess people ignoring Blind's Eredivisie performance is fair. The league there is not as fast paced as the PL and his biggest criticism is that he is slow. I do however think that he is playing well in the LB position because he thinks like a midfielder, sees the play developing in the midfield and makes runs accordingly. Carrick and him would - in most cases - make the same pass, so he is mostly in the right place to get it.
This also shows the other way around sometimes, for e.g. the pass he made to Carrick for the first goal in the Tottenham game. I think there is no way Shaw would make that same pass - given his instinct would be to get hold of it and run towards the flank (or pass it back to the free CB).

 

[Escobar]

I don't think so, a lot of players have gone on to do great things despite being limited physically.

Whilst being midfield players? I saw him getting dominated physically this season and it's definitely a weakness for me. Maybe he just needs some time to adjust to the EPL

 

[Escobar]

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

You can't compare them to Blind as they play a complete different role

 

[Roman Bellic]

Whilst being midfield players? I saw him getting dominated physically this season and it's definitely a weakness for me. Maybe he just needs some time to adjust to the EPL

I actually agree with you, without a defensive partner/cover he is so easy to get past, he is a really good offensive player though.

The good thing about LVG is that he tries to incorporate a system that caters to everyone's strength even if it means keeping a player on the bench for a while, he did it with Herrera and Mata and I imagine he is doing the same thing with Luke Shaw.

 

[Lawman]

Best crosser at the club

Not the greatest attribute for a centre mid!

 

[Rams]

Not the greatest attribute for a centre mid!

From my experience the guys who cross well usually also pass well.

 

[Rams]

I wouldn't bet my mortgage on it happening... but I wouldn't bet my mortgage on it not happening either...

 

[Classical Mechanic]

IIRC

We haven't played with him in midfield since the first half of the Arsenal FA Cup tie. Since the second half of that game we have stopped getting over run by the opposition and have hit our best form.

I like him as a squad player but I don't fancy him as a starter long term.

 

[Lawman]

From my experience the guys who cross well usually also pass well.

Then why not say his passing?

 

[11101]

I don't think so, a lot of players have gone on to do great things despite being limited physically.

This myth that you need to be built like a brick outhouse to play in the Premier League is half the reason our teams are getting overrun in Europe lately. Blind has all the basics to do well here and with a bit of polishing i think will go on to be a long term starter for us.

 

[Roman Bellic]

This myth that you need to be built like a brick outhouse to play in the Premier League is half the reason our teams are getting overrun in Europe lately. Blind has all the basics to do well here and with a bit of polishing i think will go on to be a long term starter for us.

To be fair you kind of need a physical player in your midfield in the EPL,not so much in the CL though.

 

[NoLogo]

Honestly for his first season in the league he has done quite well. Maybe he can really replace Carrick in the long run albeit I feel our defense is more stable when Carrick plays the number 6 and not Blind. He doesn't fully convince me as a full back though.

 

[kouroux]

Whilst being midfield players? I saw him getting dominated physically this season and it's definitely a weakness for me. Maybe he just needs some time to adjust to the EPL

Modric.

 

[Borys]

He should be taking all indirect free kicks. Probably corners too. He isn't much of a threat in the box but his crossing is top notch.

 

[RedDevilCanuck]

Must start at LB for these big games coming. He's been really good back there.

 

[carlosp]

Whilst being midfield players? I saw him getting dominated physically this season and it's definitely a weakness for me. Maybe he just needs some time to adjust to the EPL

I remember Carrick never had a stellar first season either. I remember because a Spurs fan I know would let me know constantly throughout the season how glad he was that Spurs sold us a dud and that Carrick would amount to nothing. Even beginning of the second season, Carrick wasn't stellar.

Blind has definitely done better than Carrick in my opinion with regards to this being his first season.

I wish Squawka had stats going to when Carrick started, but they don't.

http://www.squawka.com/comparison-m...rs/errors_leading_to_goal/total_duels_%#total

Note however that the stats won't show things like formation played, position played etc. A lot of these things need to be taken into account hence why most regard Carrick as a better DM than Blind, and I agree.

However Blind will grow into whatever position he is chosen for whether it's DM, LB or even CB. He's 25 and Carrick is 33, almost 34.

 

[Isotope]

I remember Carrick never had a stellar first season either. I remember because a Spurs fan I know would let me know constantly throughout the season how glad he was that Spurs sold us a dud and that Carrick would amount to nothing. Even beginning of the second season, Carrick wasn't stellar.

.

We won the League in 06/07 after 3 seasons in hiatus, where Carrick was our only signing, and RvN left the club. He was a very important signing.

 

[Nighteyes]

Carrick was fantastic in his first season and undeniably had a huge impact on our midfield. That Roma performance

 

[DanNistelrooy]

Carrick was fantastic in his first season and undeniably had a huge impact on our midfield. That Roma performance

He always seemed to have top games against the Italian sides, I know they rate him massively over in Italy... He even continued that run last week for England at Italy

 

[RedMachine03]

 

[Devil may care]

Aragorn of Ye Old Trafford!

Got blitzed for pace a couple of times in the first ten minutes but then normal service resumed, his composure when it comes time to deliver the key pass in the final 3rd is as good as any fullback in the game right now IMO.

 

[m1y2]

intelligent player if he was faster he could be a really good left back. I like him combining with Young who himself is smart player full of tricks.. Now Blind will run the show in the middle of the park and Rojo as LB? I don't think he got a proper chance there as we really kicked on after Spurs game, so I believe some people might be surprised once he does a as good job as what Carrick did for several weeks now..

Not afraid a bit

 

[dogwithabone]

I'd keep him at left back. Why fix what's not broken ? We are steamrollering some of the strongest teams in the PL. Right now neighing needs changing, least of all Blind who I think gas been fantastic. Real composure on the ball and a great work rate. Top player.

 

[.Rossi]

 

[limerickcitykid]

That's brilliant. I'm going to think of this now every time I'm at mass.

 

[Ayush_reddevil]

Absolutely love having a left back whose first thought isn't to just cross the ball without looking, makes our attacking play so much better.

 

[Sied]

 

[Slevs]

So fecking sexy.

 

[Dumbstar]

Kept Sterling and Navas in his pocket. Can't argue against that.

 

[KiD MoYeS]

I fancy him.

 

[Raw]

Navas destroyed him in the first 20 minutes or so, but Blind grew into the game (like the rest of the defence) and did well. The trios of Young-Blind-Fellaini and Mata-Herrera-Valencia work so well.

 

[Adam-Utd]

Kept Sterling and Navas in his pocket. Can't argue against that.

Apart from that 1 over the top ball where I thought he was going to be in for a long evening; he did really well.

 

[PlayerOne]

Was a bit sloppy at times today during the first half and his lack of paced showed at times. Grew into the game though.

 

[Robbie Boy]

I thought he started relatively poor but in fairness, our defence looked like they were auditioning for clown college in the first ten minutes. He grew into the game after that and played a part in Fellaini's goal. He is a great talent and I'm delighted that we signed him.

 

[united_99]

Started a bit poorly but tbf Navas is really really quick. Apart from the first few minutes he was as classy as always.

 

[Varun]

Navas destroyed him in the first 20 minutes or so, but Blind grew into the game (like the rest of the defence) and did well. The trios of Young-Blind-Fellaini and Mata-Herrera-Valencia work so well.

Navas got the better of him once.

I fancy him.

Stand in line. Its probably as long as the great wall of china.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Think the first half was his worst half in a United shirt, to be fair we didn't have much of the ball but from a defensive perspective he was caught out by Navas and a bit sloppy on the ball.

Having said that, thought he had a solid second half and we didn't hear from Navas at all. It shows great character to grow into the role like that and it shows the difference in his play when we have more of the ball, he's better when we have more possession as we did in the second half where as not controlling the game, thought although having a bad first half he was key to the build up of that demolition on the left flank.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

Navas would have scored if he wasn't such a pointless footballer who isn't good at anything, and it would have been Blind's fault. Thankfully, Navas is a pointless footballer who isn't good at anything, least of all finishing.

We were really shit in those first 15 minutes or so. He grew into the game, as the whole team did. Some iffy ball control at times, but still decent. Big fan of him.

 

[gooDevil]

This guy will go down as a legend.