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2015-16 Performances

View full 2015-16 profile

5.9 Season Average Rating
Appearances
56
Clean sheets
22
Goals
2
Assists
4
Yellow cards
3
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He was consistent as a holding midfielder when he first arrived. Nothing spectacular, but still Mr. Reliable. It's his performances that waned in the second half of the season when he played that position. He did well at LB too, but a highlight of his game was obviously his link-up play with Young and Fellaini on the left hand-side, while also his intelligence in the role. Still think his best attributes suit a holding midfield role though, but he has far too many shortcomings to become a first choice #6 here IMO.

Hopefully we will see the end of this CB experiment soon enough. He clearly isn't cut out for it and I can only see it ending disastrously if LVG continues to persist with it.
 
His philosophy really seems to be if they can't get the ball, we win.
 
Some dodgy positioning aside that lead to their one on one in the first few mins he's had a cracking half. Well in Daley!
 
I think he's playing well. He's technically good on the ball, and I don't think people realise how much that matters for LvG.
 
Played really quite well, been the best centreback on the pitch.
 
blind has proved he doesnt need pace to defend at LB. so why would he need to prove it at CB. Phil Jones needs pace because he's reactive. Blind has done well in my opinion
 
Deserves some credit after the shit storm he received before the game. Had a great game.
 
I was one of those who doubted him but he played well aside from maybe the first few minutes. Well done.
 
He's a decent player, very intelligent and composed. I don't know why it worries people so much he might play the odd game at CB. He'll do a good job there, left back or in midfield.
 
Really shows where he stems from. His football intelligence is just top class, can play different positions without other special attributes. Good player to have.

As for him as CB, we should be absolutely dominant at possession to make it work in PL. Prefer him to Rojo there to be honest. I'm not sure we have better choices to play LCB at the moment. As we are really trying to adapt the possession football, Smalling and Jones are bit too clumsy for that role. But I think we need one CB for that cause, even if Blind seems decent is every position.
 
Ixion said:
He's a decent player, very intelligent and composed. I don't know why it worries people so much he might play the odd game at CB. He'll do a good job there, left back or in midfield.
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My only concern is height and physicality. I think Blind is a great footballer, but he's 5ft11, not great in the air, nor the strongest in the challenge. I think he would struggle there in the Premier League unless it was a home game against relegation fodder, where we'd be expected to boss possession and give away few chances.

He's done well today, but Barca were never going to test us physically. He's great at anticipating the pass and stepping into interceptions. He's a good tackler as well. I wouldn't fancy him marking centre forwards when crosses come into the box though.
 
Thought he was superb at centre back today, and I fully expect him to start there come the start the season. Only worry is how he'll deal with the aerial threat of the EPL.
 
Solid and did well.

Still think LB (whether its cover or not) is where we will see him play more so long term.
 
Did well. But I don't want to see him play there when the season starts.
 
He had a decent game but his physical weakness will be a bigger issue in the PL and I also think he sticks his foot in, in the box too often.
 
I thought he did well, aside from one flick at Suarez which on another day might have been a pen. But there are obviously far better options at cb
 
He did very well up against Suarez who made it very difficult for us at times.
 
If he played in arsenal, or pool he'd be one of their most important players. He's great.
 
Welbeckham said:
As for him as CB, we should be absolutely dominant at possession to make it work in PL. Prefer him to Rojo there to be honest. I'm not sure we have better choices to play LCB at the moment. As we are really trying to adapt the possession football, Smalling and Jones are bit too clumsy for that role. But I think we need one CB for that cause, even if Blind seems decent is every position.
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Tend to agree with this. His reading of the game from centre back was excellent yesterday but he will face a very different challenge in the Premier League. Whilst I think he could play centre back from Barcelona in Spain, in the Premier League he will be targeted with long ball up to target man.
 
Played well but he will be targeted in the premier league and won't last long at cb if he does start the season there. Could work at home against teams who sit back but we would be very vulnerable to counter attacks because of his lack of pace and acceleration, away form home I think he will be a disaster.
 
Roboc7 said:
Played well but he will be targeted in the premier league and won't last long at cb if he does start the season there. Could work at home against teams who sit back but we would be very vulnerable to counter attacks because of his lack of pace and acceleration, away form home I think he will be a disaster.
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Agree entirely with this

He could work against certain strikers/teams, but teams with pace or physicality will target him. Even average strikers with pace would constantly look to run in behind him, and even average strikers with physical presence would attack him aerially. Some sides have strikers who could do both and Blind would be powerless to do anything about it.
 
His partnership with Phil Jones is pretty much this.

HanChewie.jpg
 
So much for being 'torn apart' by Suarez. Great game and his reading of the game is spot on.
 
I want us to play Smalling and Jones and give them full trust to let them gain confidence and experience together. But facing Suarez with his physicality and Pedro with his brutal pace is about as hard that the EPL will get. Blind hardly made a mistake the entire game and looked better than Jones who himself did very well.

The reason I don't want him to play is rather because his passing didn't seem to improve our build-up at all and if he just takes the easiest passing option all the time at the same intensity as Smalling/Jones then we may as well just play Smalling/Jones who are better defenders.
 
OnlyTwoDaSilvas said:
My only concern is height and physicality. I think Blind is a great footballer, but he's 5ft11, not great in the air, nor the strongest in the challenge. I think he would struggle there in the Premier League unless it was a home game against relegation fodder, where we'd be expected to boss possession and give away few chances.

He's done well today, but Barca were never going to test us physically. He's great at anticipating the pass and stepping into interceptions. He's a good tackler as well. I wouldn't fancy him marking centre forwards when crosses come into the box though.
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Exactly my opinion. Blind simply isn't build like a standard CB and if I had to choose between him and Rojo/Jones (assuming we don't get another player), I would pick Rojo/Jones because of their sturdiness and better aerial play. Blind is more intelligent but against the mules that PL clubs use he would struggle.
 
Devil may care said:
He had a decent game but his physical weakness will be a bigger issue in the PL and I also think he sticks his foot in, in the box too often.
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I think so too. He will be found out if played as a CB over the season. Him being picked because he's left footed would be very wrong. He's best as a LB
 
Escobar said:
I think so too. He will be found out if played as a CB over the season. Him being picked because he's left footed would be very wrong. He's best as a LB
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I'm hoping he's just acting as a placeholder for the new CB, I think LvG wants a ball playing CB to partner Jones or Smalling long term and that will be what we are after in Ramos.
 
Devil may care said:
I'm hoping he's just acting as a placeholder for the new CB, I think LvG wants a ball playing CB to partner Jones or Smalling long term and that will be what we are after in Ramos.
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Or Van Gaal just wants a player with good technique there and can use Blind there knowing that the defense is now shielded (Schneiderlin).
 
Roboc7 said:
Played well but he will be targeted in the premier league and won't last long at cb if he does start the season there. Could work at home against teams who sit back but we would be very vulnerable to counter attacks because of his lack of pace and acceleration, away form home I think he will be a disaster.
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He is not slower than Evans, neither less physical than him IMO.

What can be a problem though, is that he is quite short for a CB. Still Darmian and Shaw are quite tall for right/left back so maybe we would be fine in that aspect (they compensating for Blind's lack of height). If we don't sign a CB, I wouldn't be surprised if him and Rojo will fight for that left CB spot, with Smalling and Jones for the right CB spot. In fact, at home games I would prefer Blind to any of our CB considering that we want to play posession football and Blind rarely misplaces the passes.

Now, imagine a Blind-Carrick partership at CB with Schweinsteiger, Schneiderlin, Herrera and Mata in midfield. We'll outpass the other teams to death, make the game as much boring as all people watching the game will fall asleep.
 
Revan said:
Or Van Gaal just wants a player with good technique there and can use Blind there knowing that the defense is now shielded (Schneiderlin).
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I think he'd soon find out that will be costly, the defense isn't suddenly surrounded by a force field, power and physicality are still important for a CB in the PL.
 
Devil may care said:
I think he'd soon find out that will be costly, the defense isn't suddenly surrounded by a force field, power and physicality are still important for a CB in the PL.
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If the goal is to have 70% posession in each game (and we manage to do so), then maybe we can afford our defense to be less physical. Or Jones compensate for Blind's lack of strength, while Blind compensates for Jones lack of brain. Now imagine what a player could be if we can merge those two.
 
Revan said:
Now imagine what a player could be if we can merge those two.
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Rio Ferdinand

problem is if we have 70 something of the ball, where does the rest 30 go? long ball to strikers who is a physical type, shitstorm coming. I don't think Blind will play there much once Rojo is back, except injuries
 
darioterios said:
Rio Ferdinand

problem is if we have 70 something of the ball, where does the rest 30 go? long ball to strikers who is a physical type, shitstorm coming. I don't think Blind will play there much once Rojo is back, except injuries
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Agree. Although Jones can just decide to injure the other players when they'll go to get those long balls.

Anyway, against teams which lack physical strikers upfront, Blind can probably do a good job at CB. Or against Barca when we play them in UCL :cool:
 
Revan said:
If the goal is to have 70% posession in each game (and we manage to do so), then maybe we can afford our defense to be less physical. Or Jones compensate for Blind's lack of strength, while Blind compensates for Jones lack of brain. Now imagine what a player could be if we can merge those two.
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Yes, merged they'd be quite a player, but Blind will be a big target for any opposition we face given his lack of pace and physicality, I just can't see LvG going that route long term as he said himself about the lack of height and physical players on more than one occasion last season.
 
Best thing about blind is he can play all across the left hand side. IMO we played him at CDM because he would protect our LCB spot when Rojo wasnt always on song.

Also, he is still quite young; and could grow in to position. People who worry about him at CB will have sleepless nights because:

A) He might become our LCB
B) there is a very few left footed CB's available & trust me that is important in regards to fluidity.

Fantastic player. Blind's utilisation & his intelligence is similar to Chess in terms of tactical planning.
 
Revan said:
Or Van Gaal just wants a player with good technique there and can use Blind there knowing that the defense is now shielded (Schneiderlin).
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This. Thats why the 352 hasn't gone away because aslong as Schneirdlin/carrick shield or cooperate with the CB's; things like hieght and strength are less important because we can have up to 5 defenders in defensive positions without any involvement of attacking players.
 
Santiago_KinderBueno said:
Best thing about blind is he can play all across the left hand side. IMO we played him at CDM because he would protect our LCB spot when Rojo wasnt always on song.

Also, he is still quite young; and could grow in to position. People who worry about him at CB will have sleepless nights because:

A) He might become our LCB
B) there is a very few left footed CB's available & trust me that is important in regards to fluidity.

Fantastic player. Blind's utilisation & his intelligence is similar to Chess in terms of tactical planning.
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I really liked him at cb. He is really nice at positioning himself.
 
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