I already did. You clearly rate Blind, so no point
17
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 39
- Clean sheets
- 19
- Goals
- 1
- Assists
- 2
- Yellow cards
- 4
- Status
I already did. You clearly rate Blind, so no point
Stupid, stupid post. Look at how many red cards Smalling has received in his career and compare that with great defenders such as Vidic. What a completely out of the ballpark comment. Smalling makes a lot less silly tackles and fouls than almost any defender. He is judged on two or three incidents, which if you think about it is almost hilarious.
Blind was abysmal in that first half but improved significantly in the second. He is not a good enough centre back against the best opposition but is an asset against the lesser sides due to his ball playing abilities.
Well the best part of it wasn't in the team today. He had a terrible game in the first half which resulted us chasing shadows once we got behind. The first goal he was appalling. Smalling should pair Bailly in these games.
Fair enough. My thought was exactly the opposite. Smalling is rash sometimes and that would have made us equally vulnerable to some of their play. Of course different person different dynamic, we probably would not have conceded the same goals we did but eventually they were the better team for long period and would have most likely scored with or without Smalling.
I don't think we lost today because of blind. We lost because we were overrun in midfield today, didn't know how to cope with de bruyne who jumped between the gaping holes we had to such good effect.
Stupid post? But then you said I judged him on 2 or 3 accidents yet you came and did the same with blind? Both of them probably did same amount of shits last season individually. Also if shirts pulling were seriously punished before, he would have given more penalties, agree?
Point is that comments like natural CBs won't do mistakes that would cost the goal are laughable. Everyone makes similar and same mistakes. There is nothing like Natural would prevent from making any kind of mistake. If you make it, you make it.
Talking about natural, blind started as defender as someone who followed him all the way said it. So?
Nah, it's not great defending although he could challenge for the header and still lose the aerial duel, Blind has to deal with the flick on by being first to the ball or by following the run of De Bruyne. He did neither. Not perfect from either centre back but you can't excuse Blind being flat footed like that.
Watching the 2nd again, Blind didn't think quick enough to get back onside, he had plenty of time. Valencia even stepped up as he realised Iheanacho had drifted offside (or so he thought).
I'm with on that. I'm really not blaming Blind for us being crap in the first half today. It's only my opinion and it's purely guess work, but I just think Smalling would have been better. Like I said on here, all ifs and buts. They're both good players who offer something different
I judged Blind on two occasions in ONE match. You are judging two or three incidents in Stallings career. You do see the difference?
Shirt pulling wasn't punished as much before, so what point are you trying to argue? He'll have to show that he'll cut that shit out, and if he does, then fair play. Smalling pulled shirts because he got away with it; it was deemed OK-ish by referees, and any penalty given would seem correct but highly arbitrary. Again, a silly argument to be made as the rules of the game has simply been changed in that respect.
Of course any natural centre back will make mistakes. What you implicitly points out though is that Blind is no natural centre back. He is a jack of all trades, but he has a lot of flaws to his game as a centre back; his positioning isn't great; he is slow, he is weak and he just isn't tough enough.
it isnt his first game like this no, he was asked to learn the position last season in possibly the most competitive leagues in the world, and at the start he looked dodgy and we all thought this is stupid. but game on game he has improved, and since xmas he has been brilliant.
I don't care if he a natural centre defender or not, he has proved again and again he is NOW and excellent central defender. One bad game after months of been brilliant doesn't change that, players have bad games.
if Blind goes back to been the shakey player he was when he first started been a centre back, then sure say look he shouldn't be playing there. But after one bad game in a very very long time seems beyond petty.
It will happen again simply because every defender has bad games.
Do you want me to pull out more accidents with smalling? LIke how he got 2 stupid yellow cards to get sent off 2 years ago against city?
You see I could play this game all day. Why? Because no one is perfect and don't come here pretending like one does all the shit and the other does not.
How was that even a WUM? He completely misjudged the flick on. Watch his body language, it was too languid. He thought the ball would fall to him and wasn't aware of the oncoming De Bruyne. When De Bruyne does beat him to the ball, his body wasn't in the position to give chase. A case of terrible awareness.
Then according to you both, why is it that mourinho is playing Blind ahead of Smalling if Smalling is such a vastly superior CB? Surely mourinho can judge CBs given that he has managed carvalho Terry Ramos Pepe Varane Cahill and all? If Smalling was so much better surely he would be involved more than 6 minute cameos?
At least with LvG you could call it bias or whatever. Surely mourinho has no bias towards either of Smalling or blind?
Clearly mourinho feels he has got something that Smalling doesn't. It's obvious
There are pros and cons to playing either. Mourinho couldn't drop him considering how well Blind has played but that might change after today.
dropping after one bad game when he has been brilliant would be really harsh. is Pogba gonna get dropped when Herrera and Fellaini played better today? course not that would be daft!
Smalling was injured so Blind started the first couple of games and played well so it was harsh to drop him. He also hinted Blind's experience and composure was helping Bailly settle.
I think long term we'll be better off with the better defender at centre back. Smalling alongside Bailly there will never be a lack of pace or physical dominance. The ceiling for that partnership I think is a lot higher than any other.
Agreed but it does open the door ajar for Smalling none the less, Mourinho will learn as he goes and he might have seen aspects today than might mean Smalling starts for certain games in the future ahead of Blind.
We need a world class defender.
I'm a huge fan of Blind but feck knows what he was thinking for that first goal. That said he improved after that and to say we were getting completely slaughtered in the first half him and Baily did quite well. I'm sure he'll keep his place and carry on being consistently very good. They'll both have to especially with Smalling sitting on the bench waiting for a chance.
At fault for both goals (played the forward onside for the 2nd one off the post). I think Smalling should be given a chance now and I'm not a big Smalling fan.
He's prone to some brainfarts
Mourinho isn't someone who cares about dropping performing players for big games. He used to do that all the time at Chelsea
Smelling is more panicky in such situations though. He can dominate games and screw up at vital moments just like Blind. I don't think there's anything between them frankly
Here we go. Was he really that "shocking" today? or was it because he was linked to the goals we conceded? For e.g, Bravo's mistake is only highlighted because of Zlatan's brilliant finish. If not that, then it's just another goalkeeper flapping at a cross.
They're both mistakes but certainly not ones that warrant being labelled a shocking performance. I don't see how Smalling would have made much a difference in the game today.
1st goal is more on Bailly but he's the caf's new favourite so we'll give him a pass. He anticipated Baily winning that header (and probably so did the whole stadium). If you at look Pogba, he'd tracked KDB up onto that moment then stopped. There were 3 mistakes there not jus a Blind feck up.
2nd goal was more unlucky than anything. He was the deepest player closing KDB down so it makes sense he'd also be the last to get back in line with the defence.
They're both mistakes but certainly not ones that warrant being labelled a shocking performance. I don't see how Smalling would have made much a difference in the game today.
1st goal is more on Bailly but he's the caf's new favourite so we'll give him a pass. He anticipated Baily winning that header (and probably so did the whole stadium). If you at look Pogba, he'd tracked KDB up onto that moment then stopped. There were 3 mistakes there not jus a Blind feck up.
2nd goal was more unlucky than anything. He was the deepest player closing KDB down so it makes sense he'd also be the last to get back in line with the defence.
We tried buying one, no? We were linked with Varane.
Vastly superior CB? I never even said that
Seems to be hard to talk about Blind in the Daley Blind thread. How dare anyone think he had a poor game?!
I don't think any manager has a habit of dropping "performing" players for big games.
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Some people will go to shocking lengths to defend a player who had a poor game. This scenario was predicted by some because we know he isn't the most physical player and the plays the CB role as if he were a DM. But no we are crazy for saying such things. First time he is tested and put under pressure against skillful opponents he crumbles. But its okay we should blame the other 10 players on the pitch for letting Blind down and putting him in a 1v1 position, and not doing their jobs properly so he can ball watch in peace.........
He was at fault for both goals and his defending for the 1st goal was infuriating. I couldn't believe what he did. May have well just told De Bruyne he'll let him score today.
Gary Neville kept talking about how poor Blind was for the first goal as if he had just back passed the ball straight to an attacker. To me it just seemed like a bit of a lucky break for KDB in the sense that the flick on ended up being perfectly placed for him to just about nick it in front of Blind. Looking back at the replay, it doesn't seem his positioning is wrong, just the fact that he was back pedaling and KDB was moving forward meant that Blind couldn't get to the ball first.
He would be disappointed about the second goal though. Even though KDB's shot came in pretty quickly after the first attack which had led to Blind being that deep, he could have reacted a bit faster.
He would be disappointed about the second goal though. Even though KDB's shot came in pretty quickly after the first attack which had led to Blind being that deep, he could have reacted a bit faster.
Both goals were his fault, the second was entirely his fault, and both were just comically bad on his part aswell. The first he's caught daydreaming as he often is, and the second he's retty much created a goal for City all of his own doing...he charges out of position to go for a ball he's NEVER going to get (another thing he does regularly), sells himself and creates a shooting chance for City that never existed...then ends up in a position where an offside player is allowed to suddenly be onside and score. It's an absolute joke at this level of football to be conceding goals like that.
Blind could literally pick the ball up mid game and throw it into his own net though and people on here would find a way to analyse the goal "frame by frame" and blame half the rest of our team instead of him.
As long as he's playing at centreback we're not going to be good enough when it really matters. It's as simple as that. He isn't good enough there. Not against good teams. I don't know how many fecking times we have to find this out before we stop thinking we can get away with it.
Blind could literally pick the ball up mid game and throw it into his own net though and people on here would find a way to analyse the goal "frame by frame" and blame half the rest of our team instead of him.
As long as he's playing at centreback we're not going to be good enough when it really matters. It's as simple as that. He isn't good enough there. Not against good teams. I don't know how many fecking times we have to find this out before we stop thinking we can get away with it.
So he's shit again?
Smallling/Bailly next game then, Jose won't need many excuses to drop Blind.
He was caught flat footed which only happens if your positioning is wrong. Even so it happens and he could have probably recovered if he didn't react like a zombie. The ball was literally on it's way into the net while Blind was still figuring out what he was supposed to be doing and what had happened. He looks like he isn't even aware a football game is going on. When you look at him compared to everyone else in the replays of the goal it's comical how ridiculously bad his reaction time was.
The second was even worse. Explain to me what the feck he was doing there? The sort of thing you'd expect to see Stones do at the other end, and then laugh at.
He needs to not be playing there now we have centrebacks. It's as simple as that. In games where we'll mostly be trying to score, fair enough. In games where how well we defend as a back four is actually important, he is a liability.
How any of you can blame him for the first is beyond me, especially now you've had time to look at it properly. Dear me.
Guess Blind needs another 20 flawless games to build up a lilltle credit .
He was at fault for both goals, but what infuriated me even more was how he and Baily kept getting out jumped for headers against the likes of Silva, De Bruyne and Ihenacho etc. It was embarrassing that your first choice two Center backs couldn't head the ball proper against those midgets.
Remember when he was the best CB in the league
To be fair I thought the same aswell for a bit. But now it's Smalldini time.
To be fair I thought the same aswell for a bit. But now it's Smalldini time.
Fellaini and Ibra were also constantly beaten in the air by Otamendi. We were supposed to be dominating them physically and aerially, yet the reality was completely different. That probably pissed me off the most, along with the sluggishness.
This place, eh?
Being caught flat footed doesn't necessarily mean his positioning was wrong. Again, looking back at the replay posted a few pages back, it's obvious the flick on just happened to land perfectly for KDB. Not sure exactly how his positioning was wrong, he was just back pedaling as the long ball came up. Bailly was marking Iheanacho (and then inexplicably decided not to challenge for the header) and Blind was just taking the default other centre back spot. Pogba was the one "marking" KDB so to speak.
And how can you possibly say he could have recovered after that? I really don't think any defender in the world can catch up to any decent pace attacker once they get away like that when the defender has his back to the goal and the attacker is already facing the goal.
He has had his moments last season (the 2nd goal today could be attributed to his poor judgment) but people are being harsh blaming him for the first (especially Neville who seemed to greatly exaggerate and kept on repeating how Blind was at fault).
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