Daley Blind - Deal Confirmed

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I'm happy enough if the Blind deal goes through. Its just a sensible signing to fill Carrick's shoes while he's out but also he's young enough to develop into his successor. In a lot of ways they are similar players, both showing that they can handle defensive responsibility but also a good long range of passing to start attacks.

The Vidal talk always sounded like head in the clouds stuff to me, but signing Di Maria shows that the money is there and it is possible to attract top players even without the champions league. It'll be even easier if we get into the competition after this season and we can always sign a fancy CM like Vidal next summer
 
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Ekeke said:
I'm happy enough if the Blind deal goes through. Its just sensible a sensible signing to fill Carrick's shoes while he's out but also he's young enough to develop into his successor. In a lot of ways they are similar players, both showing that they can handle defensive responsibility but also a good long range of passing to start attacks.

The Vidal talk always sounded like head in the clouds stuff to me, but signing Di Maria shows that the money is there and it is possible to attract top players even without the champions league. It'll be even easier if we get into the competition after this season and we can always sign a fancy CM like Vidal next summer
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I wouldn't say it was head in clouds stuff, i used to think that on United dealings up until they paid £60m Di Maria, i thought for years we was useless in the transfer market, never could get the big deals done, but i think with Vidal, you get the impression he wanted to come here, but its his knee that's stopping us paying the £40m it would cost for that to happen.
 
Adnan said:
@Herman Van Rompuy

I'd like to hear your views on how you think Blind would be best utilized because I remember you wanting Blind at Utd since May.
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.....................De Gea

Valencia...Jones/Evans...Rojo...Shaw

.....................Blind
.........Herrera..........Di Maria
......................Mata
...........RVP..............Rooney

Because Blind can cover for Rojo and Shaw, he gives them the freedom to play a significant role in our build-up play and to make forward runs. He also will be a complement to Di maria and Herrera and an important link between our defenders and the midfield, being able to slot between the centre backs when the wingbacks push up to give us width. His range of passing is far better than any of our defenders at the moment, and so that will help us in getting the ball from the defense to attack more quickly when needed.
 
Herman Van Rompuy said:
.....................De Gea

Valencia...Jones/Evans...Rojo...Shaw

.....................Blind
.........Herrera..........Di Maria
......................Mata
...........RVP..............Rooney

Because Blind can cover for Rojo and Shaw, he gives them the freedom to play a significant role in our build-up play and to make forward runs. He also will be a complement to Di maria and Herrera and an important link between our defenders and the midfield, being able to slot between the centre backs when the wingbacks push up to give us width. His range of passing is far better than any of our defenders at the moment, and so that will help us in getting the ball from the defense to attack more quickly when needed.
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Sounds good mate...:drool:
 
Ekeke said:
I'm happy enough if the Blind deal goes through. Its just sensible a sensible signing to fill Carrick's shoes while he's out but also he's young enough to develop into his successor. In a lot of ways they are similar players, both showing that they can handle defensive responsibility but also a good long range of passing to start attacks.

The Vidal talk always sounded like head in the clouds stuff to me, but signing Di Maria shows that the money is there and it is possible to attract top players even without the champions league. It'll be even easier if we get into the competition after this season and we can always sign a fancy CM like Vidal next summer
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I think they're pretty similar too from the little I've seen of Blind, though hopefully he hasn't yet caught that disease that forces players to stop moving as soon as they receive the ball. Maybe he'll be more like Carrick was when he joined us, i.e. not quite so immobile; we could certainly do worse!

All in all, the state of our midfield is such that Blind definitely improves us, so it's a good transfer a priori.
 
Herman Van Rompuy said:
.....................De Gea

Valencia...Jones/Evans...Rojo...Shaw

.....................Blind
.........Herrera..........Di Maria
......................Mata
...........RVP..............Rooney

Because Blind can cover for Rojo and Shaw, he gives them the freedom to play a significant role in our build-up play and to make forward runs. He also will be a complement to Di maria and Herrera and an important link between our defenders and the midfield, being able to slot between the centre backs when the wingbacks push up to give us width. His range of passing is far better than any of our defenders at the moment, and so that will help us in getting the ball from the defense to attack more quickly when needed.
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I assume you have watched him extensively. Good to know that he will help us with the quick transitioning aspect which has proved to be troublesome recently.

How would you rate him relative to Carrick? He seems to be an intelligent player and veers more towards the mould of Carrick/Alonso/Busquets rather than a Vidal/De Jong type of commanding player. Would he be able to handle the physicality of the premier league and how would he fare under intense pressing and in midfield battles against the likes of Toure/Fernando, Matic/Fabregas, Ramsey/Flamini etc? Could you rate his game based on a few qualities

Based on 10
Vision -
Recycling possession/short passing -
Screening defence(Positioning, interceptions, snuffing out danger etc) -
Raw defensive talent(Tackling, marking, strength etc) -

EDIT: Feel free to respond if you watch Eredivise and have extensive knowledge on Blind. @bucky
 
Opinion on him from reddit:
Blind used to be the laughing stock of the team when he played both centre and left back. His performances were lackluster and he often lost possession. The problem with those positions is that he lacks the physique in every single aspect (strength, aerial ability, stamina and pace) to be able to perform.

Once he was moved to the position of defensive midfielder he started improving rapidly. He has great composure on the ball, excellent long and short range passing as well as some decent vision. However, even in this position his lack of pace seems to hold him back.

That being said, I doubt he's cut out for the high tempo type of game the premier league has. He's more suited for the Italian and Spanish leagues. Unless he has a go at the gym I can't see him succeed in the premier league.
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Freak said:
I have to admit, this signing is quite underwhelming. From Vidal and Carvalho to Blind. That too when we need top quality in our midfield rather than another squad type player.
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I've said it two times in this thread I think but United fans are becoming hilariously desperate these days. #AnyoneIsBetterThanCleverley
 
Again, he's no slower than Cleverley, Fletcher and Carrick

You could definitely get the impression he's slow from watching a speedy winger against him at leftback, but all of those players would get left for dead in that situation too. As a central midfielder, you compare him to other central midfielders and he's average speed there.
 
Don't understand the lack of pace criticism, Busquets isn't the fastest either but he's Barcelona's second most important player. Anyone who can do a job as a full back is quick enough to play defensive midfield and Blind's passing can be surprisingly refined.
 
girish said:
Opinion on him from reddit:
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Pace isn't that important in the holding midfielder role, it's speed of thought. Xabi Alonso, Carrick (two seasons ago), Pirlo, Busquets etc., none of those players is quick, but they are intelligent. That's what you want from a midfielder in that position. Not saying Blind is on the level of those players, just exemplifying the relative unimportance of pace in such positions.

With quick runners like di Maria and Herrera next to him, the tempo of the game won't be a problem, it's just whether he can capitalise on it - that's where his own intelligence will come into play.

People tend to overrate the 'tempo' of the PL, anyway. City dominate most games with practically one strict CM - Fernandinho - as Toure tends to play almost an AM position and his defensive work rate is pretty poor. Pretty similar to Chelsea this season actually (Matic-Fernandinho and Cesc-Toure).

As long as you've got movement around you and the intelligence to use that movement, you're fine. Once we have a fully fit XI available, I think we'll be a very fluid unit and it'll be about players fitting the system. I think Blind will fit the system just fine. A midfield trio of Herrera, ADM and Blind will dominate most teams in the league.
 
khoazany said:
I've said it two times in this thread I think but United fans are becoming hilariously desperate these days. #AnyoneIsBetterThanCleverley
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It's called being realistic. We're not in a position to be signing the players people are expecting this window, and won't be for 1 or 2 years.

Currently we're shipping out the deadwood leaving us with a small squad, putting us in a great position in the next couple of years to add more established, quality players when they're available. It's basically what Rodgers did with all the shit at Liverpool last year and then added quality this summer. Blind is a good signing during this transition as he can play multiple positions and is experienced under LvG. I'm shocked at how people bought into this idea that we'd be acquiring Hummels, Vidal etc - types of players who we rarely sign despite being at our weakest in years.
 
100 said:
It's called being realistic. We're not in a position to be signing the players people are expecting this window, and won't be for 1 or 2 years.

Currently we're shipping out the deadwood leaving us with a small squad, putting us in a great position in the next couple of years to add more established, quality players when they're available. It's basically what Rodgers did with all the shit at Liverpool last year and then added quality this summer. Blind is a good signing during this transition as he can play multiple positions and is experienced under LvG. I'm shocked at how people bought into this idea that we'd be acquiring Hummels, Vidal etc - types of players who we rarely sign despite being at our weakest in years.
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We just bought Di Maria for £60M, I don't see why the idea of us getting Vidal is so far fetched, it'll only become harder by buying players like Blind who are unlikely to add nearly enough to our weakest area in order to get back into the CL.
 
I'm guessing we'll sign another midfielder after him but let's be honest guys Blind, Herrera, Carrick, Fletch, Fellaini and Di Maria is a lot, lot better than Carrick, Fletcher, Cleverley, Anderson, Fellaini. Our midfield will be the strongest since 2008 IMO. We can't expect to LvG to sort every issue in one transfer window. We've signed one of the best youngsters in the world, one of the best players in the world, a very good midfielder who's on his peak and two very good performers in the WC so far this season(I'm assuming this Blind news is well-sourced).

Another midfielder in De Jong and we'll be laughing.
 
Devil may care said:
We just bought Di Maria for £60M, I don't see why the idea of us getting Vidal is so far fetched, it'll only become harder by buying players like Blind who are unlikely to add nearly enough to our weakest area in order to get back into the CL.
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Allegri himself admitted that Vidal's knees needs to be managed. There's a reason why we aren't in for him. With Di Maria, we were getting a player with no history of injury problems, the same couldn't be said for Vidal. Plus the club has shown every indication to thrown money this season. If we were convinced by Vidal's fitness, then we'd have signed him.
 
Herman Van Rompuy said:
.....................De Gea

Valencia...Jones/Evans...Rojo...Shaw

.....................Blind
.........Herrera..........Di Maria
......................Mata
...........RVP..............Rooney
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The new holy trinity right there, or the three amigos. No excuses for RVP and Rooney not to score with so much service behind them.
 
Devil may care said:
We just bought Di Maria for £60M, I don't see why the idea of us getting Vidal is so far fetched, it'll only become harder by buying players like Blind who are unlikely to add nearly enough to our weakest area in order to get back into the CL.
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Di Maria was a massive surprise for a lot of people. And the first in a long while - you honestly expect us to sign 2 or 3 world class players at once? About 2 or 3 of these players only move every Summer and we don't even have CL this year to attract them, this year was even more of a longshot from the outlook than others.

Having a squad player with the quality of Blind in your team isn't even that outlandish for a top European team.
Garcia? Fernando?
Song?
Casemiro?
Flamini?
 
KM said:
Allegri himself admitted that Vidal's knees needs to be managed. There's a reason why we aren't in for him. With Di Maria, we were getting a player with no history of injury problems, the same couldn't be said for Vidal. Plus the club has shown every indication to thrown money this season. If we were convinced by Vidal's fitness, then we'd have signed him.
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I was simply using Vidal's name because it was the one used in the post I quoted suggesting we shouldn't buy into the idea that the club could bring in top level players this summer. The knee stuff with Vidal seems sketchy, other reports suggest Juve are asking too much and that is the issue, but he's not the only powerful, quality CM around.
 
Devil may care said:
I was simply using Vidal's name because it was the one used in the post I quoted suggesting we shouldn't buy into the idea that the club could bring in top level players this summer. The knee stuff with Vidal seems sketchy, other reports suggest Juve are asking too much and that is the issue, but he's not the only powerful, quality CM around.
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It's not sketchy ffs.

Even the Chile manager said the reason we haven't signed him is because of his knee.
 
100 said:
Di Maria was a massive surprise for a lot of people. And the first in a long while - you honestly expect us to sign 2 or 3 world class players at once? About 2 or 3 of these players only move every Summer and we don't even have CL this year to attract them, this year was even more of a longshot from the outlook than others.

Having a squad player with the quality of Blind in your team isn't even that outlandish for a top European team.
Garcia? Fernando?
Song?
Casemiro?
Flamini?
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I expected us to sign a world class CM as our midfield is crap and we desperately need one, I also think this transfer window is a unique one for the club after last years shambles and the amount of rebuilding that is required. Adding Blind is like keeping Cleverley and Fletcher, squad players is not our problem, it's the lack of quality in CM that is the problem, Blind does nothing to fix that.
 
Bojan11 said:
It's not sketchy ffs.

Even the Chile manager said the reason we haven't signed him is because of his knee.
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There have been so many varying reports and "truths" on the Vidal saga that only a fool would call anything regarding his knee or potential transfer a certainty.
 
Herman Van Rompuy said:
.....................De Gea

Valencia...Jones/Evans...Rojo...Shaw

.....................Blind
.........Herrera..........Di Maria
......................Mata
...........RVP..............Rooney
Click to expand...

This would never work in the PL, not only is there no pace up top but that spine of Mata and Blind is so slow and lightweight teams would just run through it.
 
If Blind comes and we go to a 4-3-3 as signing Di Maria suggests, then we signed a whole new midfield this summer

Ander - Blind - Di Maria

If someone told me at the end of last season that we would sign a whole new midfield (and get rid of the likes of Cleverley and fingers crossed Anderson) I'd have been absolutely over the moon
 
Devil may care said:
I expected us to sign a world class CM as our midfield is crap and we desperately need one, I also think this transfer window is a unique one for the club after last years shambles and the amount of rebuilding that is required. Adding Blind is like keeping Cleverley and Fletcher, squad players is not our problem, it's the lack of quality in CM that is the problem, Blind does nothing to fix that.
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He's better than both, and offers us cover for positions we're short in.

Carrick > Blind > Fletcher can easily become Top Midfielder > Carrick > Blind next year. It's no big deal. Transitions take time - you just don't move to a title winning team over night by signing the best players in the world.
 
100 said:
He's better than both, and offers us cover for positions we're short in.

Carrick > Blind > Fletcher can easily become Top Midfielder > Carrick > Blind next year. It's no big deal. Transitions take time - you just don't move to a title winning team over night by signing the best players in the world.
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How do you know he's better than either playing in a league that is built on pace and physicality? He's had one good season in a 3rd tier league as a DM.

I'm not talking about a title winning team, I'm talking about getting top 4, if Blind is the only CM addition we make in the next 3 days then we wont make top 4 IMO and buying a top CM will be doubly hard next summer.
 
Devil may care said:
How do you know he's better than either playing in a league that is built on pace and physicality? He's had one good season in a 3rd tier league as a DM.

I'm not talking about a title winning team, I'm talking about getting top 4, if Blind is the only CM addition we make in the next 3 days then we wont make top 4 IMO and buying a top CM will be doubly hard next summer.
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Why would it be when we would have our formation sorted, new ideas installed by LVG and hopefully champions league football? It would obviously be easier next summer

We signed Ander for nearly £30 million, if he doesn't turn out to be good enough to make our midfield a top 4 one then we clearly shouldnt have signed him
 
Ekeke said:
Why would it be when we would have our formation sorted, new ideas installed by LVG and hopefully champions league football? It would obviously be easier next summer

We signed Ander for nearly £30 million, if he doesn't turn out to be good enough to make our midfield a top 4 one then we clearly shouldnt have signed him
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I said in my post I don't think we'll make top 4 if Blind is the only CM we buy in the next 3 days, so it will be even harder to get a top one next summer with back to back failures as regards qualifying for the CL.

Ander was a piece of the puzzle, not the answer to our midfield problems, it has been neglected for so long no single player was the answer.
 
khoazany said:
I've said it two times in this thread I think but United fans are becoming hilariously desperate these days. #AnyoneIsBetterThanCleverley
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Absolutely. Discussing LVG's future viability after 3 games, panicking after we've (hopefully) signed two central midfielders, a left back, a centre back and a british record signing this window. I wish we'd sign one top class midfielder as well, but everything cant happen in one window, and LVG joining late and Woody taking his time was always going to lead to difficulties.
 
100 said:
He's better than both, and offers us cover for positions we're short in.

Carrick > Blind > Fletcher can easily become Top Midfielder > Carrick > Blind next year. It's no big deal. Transitions take time - you just don't move to a title winning team over night by signing the best players in the world.
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I am afraid that the Carrick of old is long gone.
 
I am the first to admit that Blind's signing is underwhelming. While no one can blame the club for not spending money, one may have expected us to bring a quality CB and DM something we lack desperately.

Having said that I can understand why VG has gone for Blind. He's a young lad, who understands VG's philosophy and can cover a number of roles. With questions surrounding Vidal's and Strootman's fitness its only fair for the club to wait rather then spend big money on either one of them. I am not worried about his lack of pace either. First of all we'll probably partner him with Ander and Di Maria which are extremely pacey. Secondly Carrick was always slow and that didn't stop him to become a quality DM in his own right.
 
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