The way Van Gaal spoke during the Di Maria presser hinted at more than 1.
Daley Blind - Deal Confirmed
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The way Van Gaal spoke during the Di Maria presser hinted at more than 1.
It's a decent signing - immediate upgrade on our midfield and useful squad player once we sign someone better.
He was Eredivise player of the year as defensive midfielder, tidy, intelligent player with good positioning, anticipation and passing.
He's going to walk into our "11" pretty easily, and who knows how he's gonna develop - maybe he will become some player in midfield.
If there's a manager who can get the best out of him and make him better player - its LVG.
14m seems fair, especially if he sticks around for a bit longer and become valuable squad player for years - he's only 24.
He was Eredivise player of the year as defensive midfielder, tidy, intelligent player with good positioning, anticipation and passing.
He's going to walk into our "11" pretty easily, and who knows how he's gonna develop - maybe he will become some player in midfield.
If there's a manager who can get the best out of him and make him better player - its LVG.
14m seems fair, especially if he sticks around for a bit longer and become valuable squad player for years - he's only 24.
This has been in the works for more than 24 hours probably.
Van der saar at Carrington and his comments the other day that at the moment Blind was a Ajax player all add up now.
Hargreaves best quality was his athleticism which Blind lacks. And he is not better than O'Shea and Neville were in their primes.
There are two ways of looking at this deal really.
1) We have failed to get our top targets so have been forced to go for Blind
2) We have finally been able to start to move on the likes of Cleverley which has given us the green light to bring in replacements like Blind
Personally I feel it is more like option 2. It feels like no coincidence that 24 hours after bids are accepted for Cleverley/Kagawa and we have solid interest for a few of our players we move in for Blind. That's not to say he has been bought as another big marquee signing, nor does it mean it will be our last bit of business before Monday night. We can't offload a number of average players and bring in a number of superstars. It is not possible (even if we could afford it) to keep everyone happy and the squad balanced.
I do feel LVG has another surprise in him before the close of play. We all know that the transfer window is like a game of cat and mouse. Ajax wanted 20m or more for Blind yet we have waited and appear to have got him at 14m which in this day an age is reasonable.
Unless you feel he will be worse than Cleverley, Anderson and Fletcher in the midfield then I see no reason to moan about this signing. We are trimming our squad with more technical, versatile players. This seems to be something LVG is keen on doing. Signing players like Rojo and Blind may not set the world on fire but every good squad needs them. He is also getting players in who are better on the ball that we currently have and have a far better tactical understanding with the ability to play in several positions. The same can be said about Di Maria except on a more grand scale.
LVG still likes Vidal, he has said so blatantly himself. I would not be the slightest bit surprised if some sort of deal still happened, especially with Juve's interest in Hernandez. Just enjoy the signing and sit tight for Monday!
Is it confirmed by someone reliable? Should I start watching "Blind best tricks, overhead kicks and nutmegs 13/14" or should I wait for a while?
Vidal is a different player from Blind. I would think Blind has been brought mainly because he can play at several positions and fits in with Van Gaal's 'philosophy'. With Blind I would think it's a question of whether he can step up to that next level. I would also think he'd be a good combination in midfield with an athletic up & down type player like Herrera, and will be able to fill in for Shaw on the left flank when necessary.
Ideally I would still like to see a quality midfielder and centre back signed. If we can sort that out we won't be far off....
Ideally I would still like to see a quality midfielder and centre back signed. If we can sort that out we won't be far off....
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All going to plan, top 4 this season, another window like this next year and we're looking in very good shape indeed. 12 months more experience for the likes of Januzaj, Blackett, Wilson etc too.
How many times have you watched him prior to the World Cup or in Holland?
Only some chancers called 'the BBC'.
BBC has confirmed it.
Probably around 15 times.
He can play CB as well and let's face it he can't be any worse than our current 3
Great post, @TheReligion.
He's a good looking guy!
He has not played a ton of CB recently. And he struggled there when he was a defender full time.
I don't care what he does with his radio, but if he's better than Fletch in a midfield 2 i'll be happy.
Good signing, instantly better than Cleverley/Fletcher and can play a number of positions.
We will get Strootman in January or next summer, Blind will be a good edition until then, worst case scenario he's a good squad player. £14m is a great price as well.
We will get Strootman in January or next summer, Blind will be a good edition until then, worst case scenario he's a good squad player. £14m is a great price as well.
I agree with the athletic part, but technically he's a much better footballer than (either..) Neville or O'Shea. Blind really is a tidy and neat player who'll rarely give the ball away.
Right now, a player with a good personality would be world's ahead of the likes of Clevs and an underperforming Fletch
Sums up my thoughts! Great post.
The amount of people who underrate him is just ridiculous, the dutch O'shea what the feck? He'll rather be our Busquets, ridiculously intelligent player who distributes the ball perfect. We have no player who plays as much forward passes as Blind when played in midfield.
That is probably true but, O'Shea and Neville were defenders first and foremost and were much better in that facet.
Ha ha ha, I a pleased we are getting him. Some on this forum ain't happy unless we are signing super starts. Remember vidic and evra where unknown before coming here as well
If he ends up as good as O'Shea I would be presently surprised.
Forgive my lack of Dutch knowledge but didn't Daley Blind start out as a defenders as well who ended up playing in midfield?
LvG loves left footers, that much is clear.
No they were not.
Versatile enough to play left back and at a stretch left centreback and does well in the defensive midfield role to win the ball back and give it to the footballers.
Sounds like the kind of player we always had in our successful teams under Sir Alex, but never had to pay a lot- if at all for before
Sounds like the kind of player we always had in our successful teams under Sir Alex, but never had to pay a lot- if at all for before
Thanks Penna!
I think LVG keeps talking about time and building so people needs to understand that he is looking to totally re-vamp the squad, including the starting 11 and squad in general. He is obviously going to make signings that are done to replace the fringe players that have failed to deliver here. Some people need to relax. Progress is being made. A decent result today before the international break and things will look a whole lot different.
Very true.
But, he was terrible there. Back when Ajax supporters use to jeer him every match that was when he was a full time defender. His form improved massively once he was moved to midfield.
LvG should make him captain.
Insert mandatory (and laboured) 'Blind leading the blind' joke.
Nailed it.
Insert mandatory (and laboured) 'Blind leading the blind' joke.
Nailed it.
He's going to get so much... ahem attention from the lady folk here.
Looks like we've settled for our 4th or 5th choice. At least he can play in LVGs system.
He'll have to regress then.
Cheers. I missed 24hrs of action to be honest.
Well I was hoping you'd be surprised in the future.
Can't disagree with you more. We don't know who LVG's targets are, however Blind plays nothing like the targets been mentioned in the press (i.e. Vidal etc.). Not only that, the Dutch press have stated that United have been after Blind ever since the World Cup. Even amongst Ajax fans there's been a resignation of losing him to United since the World Cup.
This transfer has been on the cards for a while. The impression in the Netherlands is that Blind has been angling for the move all summer, but that Ajax wanted to keep him one more season. In the end Ajax realised that they can't keep a lad of 24 at the club against his wishes.
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