I did too. Those 3 goals from his corners took the game away from Leicester during that purple patch in the first half. Not only great delivery but it was his progressive play up that flank that helped us win a succession of corners and mount pressure in the first place.
17
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 39
- Clean sheets
- 19
- Goals
- 1
- Assists
- 2
- Yellow cards
- 4
- Status
I did too. Those 3 goals from his corners took the game away from Leicester during that purple patch in the first half. Not only great delivery but it was his progressive play up that flank that helped us win a succession of corners and mount pressure in the first place.
Just saw his highlights video from the previous page and I just confirmed to myself I made a good choice.
Pep was salivating watching him. Can see Barca wanting him too at some point.
He's best at lb for me, but what about Shaw? Either way we ave two teriffic options for the slot
It'd be really interesting to see Blind play in a Pep team.
Depends what your priority is, Shaw is more solid and stable. But Shaw doesnt come close to Blind when it comes to link up play, passing and crossing.
I only watched the first 35 mins or so (Rashford hadn't scored yet) but I thought Blind was great. Mahrez didn't have much of an impact and came in centrally a few times. When he did run down the flank Blind was there with the tackle, even after Mahrez has got past the first opponent.
Also he put in a few very nice corners.
Also he put in a few very nice corners.
Why does he not need any time to adjust, I just don't get it? He hasn't played left back for about four months but he just steps back in and carries on in a completely different role as one of our best players, as standard, like its no biggie.
He just gets football. Put him up front and he would find a way to get 15 goals a season.
He just gets football. Put him up front and he would find a way to get 15 goals a season.
What a player he is turning out to be over the last 18 months. Players such as him who does not possess any exceptional physical attributes, but excel on account of their smarts, are part of why I enjoy football so much.
Sure he's not the fastest in the squad but when you read the game as well as Blind does and can nick the ball away as often as he does you don't need mad amounts of speed.
Too bad he s on such a shit generation of the Dutch national team. Could ve been as fondly remembered and versatile as a Koeman, Van Bronckhorst, Frank de Boer. Hope he earns the honors at the club level.
I wonder if noodlehair still thinks he's shit and useless.
What a player.
Midfield three of him, Pogba and Herrera when Shaw comes back please.
Midfield three of him, Pogba and Herrera when Shaw comes back please.
Been saying this since the day we signed him, He is the natural replacement for Carrick... His reading of the game is second to none....Such an intelligent footballer...
And is an 'average passer'
Says who?
Jose has been critical of some of Shaw's perfomances recently and Blind just did that as his replacement.Smalling can't pass from the back which affects our calmness and how quickly we can counter.Blind can easily start ahead of both.
Agreed. Basically he ticks all the boxes for a quality deep playmaker, so why not try him there once Shaw is fit again? I think a MF three of him, Pogba and Herrera would work really well. Just because hes versatile does not make him a squad player
But...but...he has no physicality, no pace....has not cost us 100 million bucks....definitely not United quality.
His intelligence and use of the ball is why more than any other position I feel he must be groomed to replace Carrick and Basti eventually, he can play their role no doubt. He would do a competent job anywhere on the pitch, he's that sort of player. A posh man's John O'shea.
This but it remains to be seen if his positioning has improved because he used to follow the ball like a madman in his first season but I think he's got the harder parts of the role locked down so the transition to DM will be easier than the one to CB. Also looking at Pogba's physicality, willingness to get stuck in and Herrera looking mature there is more than enough merit for trying this line up. Plus looking at the physical beast who would be behind him in defence.
I am guessing he is now a better DM because of his stint at CB. Carrick was very good at Holding but he was prone to get physically bullied and was not the best tackler. His weapon was his ability to ensure that passes arent made due to his positioning. Blind is actually very good in physical duels, tackling and is good in positioning too. His passing is also excellent and very forward (which was the critiscism of him by Gaz early on).
So I think he can even be a pure DM now and not just a holding mid like busquets and carrick are.
One of those few things that we can thank LVG for. His footballing intelligence was never questionable. However, his deficiencies are still there and throughout the season he will have performances where good teams and players will take advantage of that. I am glad he has been performing well and has been one of the best performers currently and hope he continues to do well.
No player has a perfect season. Even Vidic and Rio used to make some total feck ups occasionally, why should Blind get harsher criticism because his occasional feck ups match people's preconceptions?
As long as it is balanced criticism, not sure what's wrong with that. You will always have people knee jerking both ways and one needs to ignore those or call them out. I doubt majority will be blasting Blind if he goes on to have occasional feck ups amidst stellar performances like yesterday.
I don't think @Moonred is undermining Blind. Blind's weaknesses (at the moment) are what prevents him to reach the world class level. World class players like prime Rio & Vida had their feck up but overall they are consistent on top of their games and difficult to be exploited even in their weaknesses. Talking a player of other team would be easier since less bias. So use John Terry as example. He is slow as feck, but in his prime even with his known weaknesses, he was a force to be reckoned as CB. It's hard to exploit his lack of pace. Blind is very good and IMO his best games are very close to perfect, but he still lack something that can prevent his weaknesses to be exposed when being targeted.
I am thinking of Blind being molded into a libero: both defender and defensive midfielder in a game. So back 4 Herrera/Fellaini holding Pogba Rashford/Martial Mata Zlatan. Blind will enable us going between 5 at the back as CB/ narrow winger, 4231 and 4132 with him being afforded a free role. False #6
Last edited:
He has his deficiencies but his intelligence enables his to effectively counter them and in a midfield containing Pogba and Herrera we have enough legs in there to help him out, its not like Carrick was a physical specimen either. If Blind can improve his positioning to Carrick's levels he'd be a success in that role.
I agree and the move to CB was a riskier proposition than a role he played the season before he joined us. I think its easier to underrate Blind due to his lack of physicality and that stops people from appreciating what he brings to the table no matter which position he is playing.
He was very good. Probably deserves to start ahead of Shaw at LB at the moment.
He has got to start for me most games and this wherever it needs to be. I feel he is more appreciated by other fans than United's.
Who says there is no more value in transfer market ? 14 million for this guy was an absolute bargain.
Can't imagine the price if he was English though given his versatility and consistency.
The odd mistake apart he has been our best outfield player in this calendar year.
Can't imagine the price if he was English though given his versatility and consistency.
The odd mistake apart he has been our best outfield player in this calendar year.
14 mil pounds for a defender to Ajax is a lot of money.
There wouldn't refuse that offer any day of the week.That market is still fairly reasonable.
Agree that the price was very reasonable given that Ajax were the selling club and due to Blind's relation with Van Gaal .
Would have been a different story had it been likes of Southampton , Everton or Spurs etc.
For me Blind has been ahead of Carrick ever since he started playing for us, it was clear as day. Not only did he bring the passing, but most importantly composure, skill and bravery on the ball. He won't panic the moment he gets pressured and forget the forward pass. Which is what I don't get from people saying Carrick would be the best on paper to anchor a midfield 3. Blind is actually the guy to anchor the midfield in tough away games and those against top 4 quality teams. It's also funny how the lack of physicality stays with him as a weakness even though him getting burned by pace and physicality happens on a rare. I think it's past time we stopped using physicality as a weakness with Blind, he passed that test multiple times in positions where such a weakness would be regularly exposed. It's also clear that he has gotten physically stronger and adapted to the league in that area. It's the perfect time to play him in his best position. A midfield of Pogba Blind Herrera would be dominant and a joy to watch.
Would have fleeced us.
Prices in this league have gone to ridiculous levels.
Thing that pisses me off is that he is always seen as the weak link. You'll hear from any commentator "so and so will be looking to get at and expose Blind" - it was supposedly Mahrez's turn to pillage him on Sat, he didn't get a sniff though, and to be honest, they rarely do. Yes he lacks pace, but his timing in the tackle is exceptional and he's actually a bit of a nightmare to play against for attackers, not that the simpletons in the gantry notice.
The most remarkable thing about him is his calmness. It's insane.
7-8 times out of 10 he gets it right with this aura of 'just doing my job here, move along'. The other times can be like the De Bruyne goal where he got nicked and was like 'oh well, next' lol.
7-8 times out of 10 he gets it right with this aura of 'just doing my job here, move along'. The other times can be like the De Bruyne goal where he got nicked and was like 'oh well, next' lol.
Funny though when people failed their prediction with any fast/strong/good attackers, they are like oh well those guys just have bad days, he will be found out next so and so fast and strong attackers.
Rinse and repeat that shit till he makes a mistake after like 10 of those guys, then they will come out see i told you so.
United fans used to or still pretend to appreciate ball skills on the ground and what not while criticizing EPL or nation team for using 80s tactics of kick and run with tall and strong players for not winning shit. Then, when we have some of those slick players, we think they are weak and we want tall and big guys and tolerate hoofing and kick and run football again. etc
Football fans are pretty fickle. Including me, I guess.
But funny, nonetheless.
It
Actually a brilliant post and you just described my feelings.
I think last year everyone said how Lukaku would target blind and how we would be in big trouble vs Everton but then Blind just completely DESTROYED him with a little bit of skill or classs every time the ball came near, or he would just step in and cleverly anticipate a ball a full few seconds ahead of Lukaku.
That's my abiding memory of Blind. The problem for Blind is for when he comes up against a player who is as clever and "cute" with the ball as he is as he is but --also- possesses power or speed - like for instance Zlatan or Suarez.
If you put Blinds brain into Antonio Valencias body you would have the best defender of all time. But he's still our best player mentally. And probably should start at left or centre back every game for us, Smalling and Shaw and Bailly are very good defenders but they are clueless when it comes to ideas going forward, we lack someone who can get the ball freed to midfield when Blind doesn't play.
Actually a brilliant post and you just described my feelings.
I think last year everyone said how Lukaku would target blind and how we would be in big trouble vs Everton but then Blind just completely DESTROYED him with a little bit of skill or classs every time the ball came near, or he would just step in and cleverly anticipate a ball a full few seconds ahead of Lukaku.
That's my abiding memory of Blind. The problem for Blind is for when he comes up against a player who is as clever and "cute" with the ball as he is as he is but --also- possesses power or speed - like for instance Zlatan or Suarez.
If you put Blinds brain into Antonio Valencias body you would have the best defender of all time. But he's still our best player mentally. And probably should start at left or centre back every game for us, Smalling and Shaw and Bailly are very good defenders but they are clueless when it comes to ideas going forward, we lack someone who can get the ball freed to midfield when Blind doesn't play.
Yup agree there on his strengths and weaknesses. We definitely missed his ball playing mentality and ability last night.
I'd give a bit more time to Shaw and Bailly though. They have good on the ball attributes like touch, passing ability and tactical awareness so hopefully whilst they don't have Blind's intelligence they can contribute more than they've shown i.e better passing into midfield and contributing more in the build up play. That will improve over time once Mourinho knows his best 11 and second best 11 (like he's working out in the cup games)
- Status