[khoazany]

Well I'm not making any judgement on him at all, I'm just taking it by a match by match basis and yesterday I thought he was very poor especially in the first half when Burnley were playing a more attacking game.

Right from get go he put us under pressure by playing a really poor or weak pass up the line which led to Burnley landing a high ball into the six yard box and Evans making a good clearance. Burnleys Afrield got the better of him a few times but he ran rings around him altogether down at the corner flag at around the half hour mark, nothing wrong with that these things can happen but what annoying was Blacketts attempt to get the ball back or at least put Arfield under pressure because to me he had the time to. Instead he more or less gave up and let Arfield tear into the box with the ball. Shortly after that he had the ball up around the half way mark and he just stood up for what looked like an age trying to figure out what to do with it and needlessly nearly lost possession. Then there was all the hoofing up top of the ball every time he got it.

Talented or not talented, young or experienced it wasn't a good performance at all and that's the long and short of it.

Depends on what's your expectation on him.Many of us understand that he will make some mistakes considering his age,experience (first season in a PL with a new formation and all that) and the fact that the more "senior" players around him are by no mean reliable.Throw a 20-year-old Ferdinand on the same occasion and he'll hardly set the world alight IMO.

The rest, like you, seem judging youth players like him in the same wave as the seniors, or even harsher.Luckily the coaching staffs won't do the same thing otherwise we might better shut down the academy for good sake.I'm not talking about you but some others seem to find young players "easy targets" to blame whenever we have a bad match due to their obvious inexperience.

 

[Mister_Stubbs]

Much better than Michael Keane

Neither are good enough.

 

[Cooksen]

He will look far better when we have a midfield to pass to.

 

[RedOldBoy]

73%, same as Di Maria. Very low. 2 Tackles and 6 interceptions is really great on the other hand, just a tackle below Jones who also had great stats in that regard.

To be fair, Di Maria is making passes in the final third of the pitch which in theory is far more difficult than passing out of defence. Cannot compare the two.

 

[Loublaze]

Neither are good enough.

Blackett has a future here. Keane not so much, his brother too.

 

[Loublaze]

So, the only Manc left in the first team.

 

[Decotron]

Blackett has a future here. Keane not so much, his brother too.

I don't think he has personally. Agree on the other two unfortunately.

If we revert to a 433 I don't see him getting any more chances in the first team.

 

[2mufc0]

I thought he's done pretty well considering he has just been thrown into it, would be happy for him to be a backup and continue to develop.

As for the hoofing the ball, can't really blame him, it was quite disgraceful against Burnley how none of our midfielders wanted to take responsibility and get the ball off the backline and create. Even in the final third in the last minutes Evans was looking around with no one offering to take the ball.

 

[Loublaze]

I don't think he has personally. Agree on the other two unfortunately.

If we revert to a 433 I don't see him getting any more chances in the first team.

He won't get many chances indeed, but he'll be around as a backup. Jones and Smalling are injuries waiting to happen and you know it. With time, Blackett is going to prove himself equal to or better than those two, and if he has better luck with fitness he'll even be more dependable. He's clearly more comfortable on the ball than all our present defenders bar Rojo who we haven't seen it.

 

[Decotron]

He won't get many chances indeed, but he'll be around as a backup. Jones and Smalling are injuries waiting to happen and you know it. With time, Blackett is going to prove himself equal to or better than those two, and if he has better luck with fitness he'll even be more dependable. He's clearly more comfortable on the ball than all our present defenders bar Rojo who we haven't seen it.

Very very unlikely. I dont see it personally. Hes benefited greatly due to circumstances as opposed to ability. I still think Thorpe is the better player. Also Evans is far better in possession than him.

 

[SirFergie]

Very very unlikely. I dont see it personally. Hes benefited greatly due to circumstances as opposed to ability. I still think Thorpe is the better player. Also Evans is far better in possession than him.

You're being a bit harsh on the lad there. I haven't seen anything to convince me he won't be able to develop into a very good defender given the right coaching and time. He's only 20. He's already very good on the ball, big and strong and he's only going to get better. And LvG seems to like him a lot.

 

[Loublaze]

Very very unlikely. I dont see it personally. Hes benefited greatly due to circumstances as opposed to ability. I still think Thorpe is the better player. Also Evans is far better in possession than him.

If Thorpe was better he would've been on the plane to preseason, or got his chance ahead of Blackett. According to people here, both Thorpe and Keane are much better than Blackett, but its Blackett who's taken his chances well every time he's played in the first team. Who cares about the circumstances he's benefited from? He's still outperformed all our CBs perhaps save for Phil Jones since he's been in the first team. Evans has been a disaster in possession, just look at the pressure he often heaps on De Gea with his annoying brain fart passes, its already cost us a goal this season against MK Dons. Its happened a lot between those two. When Blackett replaced Evans in preseason against Liverpool, he brought calm to the back, the 20 year old actually settled us back there and his distribution and composure was much better than the more experienced players. Like it or not, Blackett is here to stay and he'll get way more chances this season than Keane and Thorpe in the first team.

 

[shabz]

If Thorpe was better he would've been on the plane to preseason, or got his chance ahead of Blackett. According to people here, both Thorpe and Keane are much better than Blackett, but its Blackett who's taken his chances well every time he's played in the first team. Who cares about the circumstances he's benefited from? He's still outperformed all our CBs perhaps save for Phil Jones since he's been in the first team. Evans has been a disaster in possesion, just look at the pressure he often heaps on De Gea with his annoying brain fart of passes, its happened a lot between those two. When Blackett replaced Evans in preseason against Liverpool, he brought calm to the back, the 20 year old actually settled us back there and his distribution and composure was much better than the more experienced players. Like it or not, Blackett is here to stay and he'll get way more chances this season than Keane and Thorpe in the first team.

This. I think Blackett has been the most consistent out of the back three especially when you take into consideration his age and experience. He plays on the side where he has to do a lot of the cleaning up from Ashley Young's non defensive nature and only hoofs the ball up when there are no shorter passes on. If we do go to four at the back then I can see him getting less game time but I think he has done enough to stay in the managers mind when it comes to selection.

 

[FromTheBench]

I think all 3 have a chance to different degrees of making it atleast in a squad role but won't be surprised if none of them did. All have some areas of their games to improve on and it's tough to tell with young defenders anyway unless they are prodigies.

Being left footed and this system has suited Blackett and why he got chances and tbf he has taken them. Will be interesting if he can continue and improve on this form and how he does when we go back to back 4 because in that previously he wasn't fitting at LB or CB.

 

[Cassidy]

Very very unlikely. I dont see it personally. Hes benefited greatly due to circumstances as opposed to ability. I still think Thorpe is the better player. Also Evans is far better in possession than him.

What? He has been the best out of all the center backs in possession both in pre season and during the league, whilst Evans has been a walking disaster in possession.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

Isn't he playing for the England U-21s this week or something? He's looked really good whenever he played, sometimes showing more composure than senior players in that defense.

 

[Loublaze]

This. I think Blackett has been the most consistent out of the back three especially when you take into consideration his age and experience. He plays on the side where he has to do a lot of the cleaning up from Ashley Young's non defensive nature and only hoofs the ball up when there are no shorter passes on. If we do go to four at the back then I can see him getting less game time but I think he has done enough to stay in the managers mind when it comes to selection.

Exactly. I don't see why people feel to need to put him down when he's hardly put a foot wrong so far.

 

[Joemo]

What? He has been the best out of all the center backs in possession both in pre season and during the league, whilst Evans has been a walking disaster in possession.

In a few games, yeah. Whereas Evans has looked composed on the ball for years, and Blackett wasn't known for his ability on the ball in the youth teams.

 

[gooDevil]

He never received his performance thread.

Love how vocal he is back there.

 

[Loublaze]

Very very unlikely. I dont see it personally. Hes benefited greatly due to circumstances as opposed to ability. I still think Thorpe is the better player. Also Evans is far better in possession than him.

Speed to 15 seconds to see how much better Evans is in possession. What a joke. I actually thought he stumped this kind of shit out of his game but no. His mistakes almost cost us goals against Burnley as well where he had a mare. Far better in possession indeed!

 

[Loublaze]

In a few games, yeah. Whereas Evans has looked composed on the ball for years, and Blackett wasn't known for his ability on the ball in the youth teams.

Tell us how many costly errors Evans has made over the years from mishit passes to own goals? Commentators usually say Evans has a mistake in him waiting to happen

 

[Joemo]

Tell us how many costly errors Evans has made over the years from mishit passes to own goals? Commentators usually say Evans has a mistake in him waiting to happen

That's your argument... really?

Blackett may have adapted to the system quicker than Evans, but Evans has always been known to be good on the ball, a few games in an unfamiliar system don't change that.

 

[Loublaze]

That's your argument... really?

Blackett may have adapted to the system quicker than Evans, but Evans has always been known to be good on the ball, a few games in an unfamiliar system don't change that.

He's good on the ball, im not denying that, he's also always been prone to high profile errors throughout his entire first team career (even in a 'familiar' system), you know this.

 

[Joemo]

He's good on the ball, im not denying that, he's also always been prone to high profile errors throughout his entire first team career (even in a 'familiar' system), you know this.

Except you are:

Far better in possession indeed!

I admit he makes the occasional error (though not always in possession), but you seem to be basing his whole distribution game on the basis of a few games, whereas I'm saying that Blackett wasn't known for his distribution before the change in system. When we had Rio and Vida, Evans was seen as the centre back most trustworthy in possession. Also, he's been moved between the centre back and the RCB spot, whereas Blackett has stayed as a LCB.

 

[Loublaze]

Except you are:



I admit he makes the occasional error (though not always in possession), but you seem to be basing his whole distribution game on the basis of a few games, whereas I'm saying that Blackett wasn't known for his distribution before the change in system. When we had Rio and Vida, Evans was seen as the centre back most trustworthy in possession. Also, he's been moved between the centre back and the RCB spot, whereas Blackett has stayed as a LCB.

Im not really arguing with you, the poster I responded to said Evans was much better in possession than Blackett. I then reminded him of the errors Evans has made in possession. I don't know what you mean by 'most trustworthy in possession' though. That doesn't even make any sense because Ferdinand was superior to Evans as a ball playing CB. Evans was switched between those slots because he's comfortable with both feet.

 

[Loublaze]

The future rock at the back

 

[Decotron]

Speed to 15 seconds to see how much better Evans is in possession. What a joke. I actually thought he stumped this kind of shit out of his game but no. His mistakes almost cost us goals against Burnley as well where he had a mare. Far better in possession indeed!

Have you hit your head recently? Maybe forgotten about the previous 3/4 seasons.

You seem to be basing your "argument" on 3 matches. Bit short-sighted really.

Have you watched him much in the youth teams over the years? Did you see him whilst at Birmingham?

 

[Loublaze]

Have you hit your head recently? Maybe forgotten about the previous 3/4 seasons.

You seem to be basing your "argument" on 3 matches. Bit short-sighted really.

Have you watched him much in the youth teams over the years? Did you see him whilst at Birmingham?

I first saw Blackett in preseason in South Africa against Ajax Capetown in 2012. I haven't seen him much in reserves, only saw clips of his time at Rovers, but it hardly matters does it? He's playing well in the first team right now, surprising those who didn't see this coming and currently putting Evans to shame because (Evans) has been shocking since the Liverpool game in preseason. All im saying is 'much better in possession' is harsh considering how well Blackett is stepping up in the first team.

 

[gooDevil]

I first saw Blackett in preseason in South Africa against Ajax Capetown in 2012. I haven't seen him much in reserves, only saw clips of his time at Rovers, but it hardly matters does it? He's playing well in the first team right now, surprising those who didn't see this coming and currently putting Evans to shame because (Evans) has been shocking since the Liverpool game in preseason. All im saying is 'much better in possession' is harsh considering how well Blackett is stepping up in the first team.

Quite frankly his performances at CB for us are an absolute miracle considering his previous career.

He had two games at CB last year, in one he was yanked at half time with his team conceding 4, the other was 5 conceded in 90 minutes I believe.

In the previous season, with the reserves, he had the highest 'goals against average' of anyone played at CB, with 5 going in from 3 starts in the middle (we were a very strong defensive unit that season), including Veseli the full back.

I don't even think Blackett's mom expected this.

He was mostly a full back and I recall him being very weak in the air, lost us a game late on once, and was yanked, after letting his man score twice on long crosses to the far post in the span of 5 minutes and got nowhere near.

He fell out of favor around that time, and I expected to hear we'd sold him after his loan spell didn't yield many starts.

Glad to be wrong, looks made for a back 3.

 

[jesperjaap]

Blackett has a future here. Keane not so much, his brother too.

NOt seen too much of either until this season to be honest....but it seemed to me 6 months or so ago people were saying the opposite. From what I have seen though I have to say Keane looks a million miles from a premiership defender let alone a Utd one.
I dont see much in Blackett either though he hasnt been woeful. But for people sayin ghe is good on the ball.....why is it everytime I end upo screaming at the tv set then as everytime he gets the ball on the left he just plays a long hopeful ball? One of the worst things about our defence so far has been its obvious we dont have a centre back that can actually pass the ball from the back with any confidence at all, hopefully if Rojo or even Blind are playing there this situation improves as any opposition side plutting pressure on high up the pitch will get success against us how we have performed so far

 

[m1y2]

NOt seen too much of either until this season to be honest....but it seemed to me 6 months or so ago people were saying the opposite. From what I have seen though I have to say Keane looks a million miles from a premiership defender let alone a Utd one.
I dont see much in Blackett either though he hasnt been woeful. But for people sayin ghe is good on the ball.....why is it everytime I end upo screaming at the tv set then as everytime he gets the ball on the left he just plays a long hopeful ball? One of the worst things about our defence so far has been its obvious we dont have a centre back that can actually pass the ball from the back with any confidence at all, hopefully if Rojo or even Blind are playing there this situation improves as any opposition side plutting pressure on high up the pitch will get success against us how we have performed so far

I think Keane is Jonny Evans type of player he plays quite similar as well. He needs to get games and make mistakes and learn from that because he is quite error-prone but at times looks really great prospect. Wonder if hes got future here, I would rate him above Blackett before season started but Blackett surprised everyone. I considered him done after his recent loan spells. If we change to back 4 Keane has no chance IMO, Blackett is great in back 3 but in back 4 who knows he can become inferior Rio Ferdinand in the end. We may buy another Center back next year as well - the world class quality we always had in that position. I wouldn't say this hadn't we splashed cash for diMaría and mainly Falcao..

 

[jesperjaap]

I think Keane is Jonny Evans type of player he plays quite similar as well. He needs to get games and make mistakes and learn from that because he is quite error-prone but at times looks really great prospect. Wonder if hes got future here, I would rate him above Blackett before season started but Blackett surprised everyone. I considered him done after his recent loan spells. If we change to back 4 Keane has no chance IMO, Blackett is great in back 3 but in back 4 who knows he can become inferior Rio Ferdinand in the end. We may buy another Center back next year as well - the world class quality we always had in that position. I wouldn't say this hadn't we splashed cash for diMaría and mainly Falcao..

Wasnt Evans a really hyped player, much more so than Keane coming through the ranks? Personally I have never seen Evans as anything more than a 4th choice centre back. I really dont get how people have rated him so highly and how people say he is our best centre back. He does a lot of things decently no more but has so many weaknesses in his game for me and he is hardly young now. I certainly dont see Keane forging a career here at all and from what I have seen of Blackett I think he has been overly placed being a young youth player and as you say beign a surprise, hasnt done badly but I dont think he has done well either. The last two decent defenders we bought through are now both at Sunderland. I remembe rbeing very very imrpessed with both in there devut seasons, O'Shea was superb at left back and Wes Brown really looked like a star, still wonder if it wasnt for his early injuries and apparent lack of confidence after a couple of big mistakes when he came back what might have been with him and for me no tone centre back we have that has come through the ranks since is comparable to the "pretty good" defender he ended up becoming. Mu only major worry about the first eleven now is our defence as forgetting Rojo who hasnt played yet, none of them seem to be intelligent defenders or have the ability to play the ball from the back which I think you need with 3 at the back...Jones is the only one who Im confident about this season

 

[lem8sh]

I'd be surprised if he was still a United player this time next year.

 

[Loublaze]

NOt seen too much of either until this season to be honest....but it seemed to me 6 months or so ago people were saying the opposite. From what I have seen though I have to say Keane looks a million miles from a premiership defender let alone a Utd one.
I dont see much in Blackett either though he hasnt been woeful. But for people sayin ghe is good on the ball.....why is it everytime I end upo screaming at the tv set then as everytime he gets the ball on the left he just plays a long hopeful ball? One of the worst things about our defence so far has been its obvious we dont have a centre back that can actually pass the ball from the back with any confidence at all, hopefully if Rojo or even Blind are playing there this situation improves as any opposition side plutting pressure on high up the pitch will get success against us how we have performed so far

Blackett has shown very good passing ability. Its a shame that people only notice the negative things but passing has been one of Blackett's strengths since preseason. His long passing has been more impressive than not, except for the second league game against Sunderland. LVG is probably asking him to do it because he's shown that he's the only CB besides Evans who can find a player at distance.

 

[Annahnomoss]

Blackett has shown very good passing ability. Its a shame that people only notice the negative things but passing has been one of Blackett's strengths since preseason. His long passing has been more impressive than not, except for the second league game against Sunderland. LVG is probably asking him to do it because he's shown that he's the only CB besides Evans who can find a player at distance.

I don't really agree that Evans and Blackett are the best at finding players at a distance. Their success rate at it is far worse than Jones for example who usually hits 4/4 or 4/6 attempts in comparison to Blackett/Evans who more often has 30% accuracy but 15-20 attempts.

So while it is true that Evans and Blackett are the best at attempting a long ball it doesn't mean that they are the best overall at it. Being the best player in the world at attempting shots means jack shit really.

 

[Loublaze]

I'd be surprised if he was still a United player this time next year.

Why is that?

 

[lem8sh]

Why is that?

Not good enough imho

 

[Loublaze]

Not good enough imho

He's doing better than Smalling and Evans at the moment. He was commanding in preseason against Real Madrid and Liverpool when he replaced a disastrous Evans at halftime, even barking orders at his teamates. Very good signs for someone who's only 20, not even the finished article. He has a future here.

 

[Joemo]

He's doing better than Smalling and Evans at the moment. He was commanding in preseason against Real Madrid and Liverpool when he replaced a disastrous Evans at halftime, even barking orders at his teamates. Very good signs for someone who's only 20, not even the finished article. He has a future here.

You've said yourself you've not really seen him in reserves or on loan at Blackpool or Birmingham, so how can you say he has a future? Comparing him to other players on the basis of a few games in a completely new system? He's doing better at the moment, and might suit a 3 at the back system more, but Van Gaal has said he wants a 4-3-3 if possible, and once we go back to 4 at the back I don't think he has the ability to make it here.

 

[The Red Thinker]

Not good enough imho

You're going to say he's not been good enough in the three games you've seen him in? Smalling has made more mistakes. Evans has made more mistakes. Jones maybe less.