I'm willing to give him time. After all none of our CB's stand out as world class anyways so I don't think he should be singled out when none of the other defenders aren't that much better. Victor has some interesting qualities and isn't the finished article yet. Even Jose said that Lindelof and Smalling are on the same level as Bailly and Jones when they came in for the CL games. By this time next year we should have a much better idea of where he stands. Be patient and give him time.
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Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 29
- Clean sheets
- 13
- Goals
- 0
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 1
- Status
Jones has been practically flawless - the best centre back in the league this season and is still only 25; he’s using the ball a lot better, measuring his interceptions masterfully and has earned Mourinho’s trust. World class is subjective, but if he can maintain this for 2/3 seasons he’d have to be IMO.
Regarding Lindelof, obviously you have to allow a player time, but he really does seem very average.
A very strange signing this one. His game time should have gone to Tuanzebe this season.
He’s nowhere near good enough to be a first choice centreback for a premier league team at the moment, but needs serious game time to develop.
He’ll be loaned or sold in the summer imo.
He’s nowhere near good enough to be a first choice centreback for a premier league team at the moment, but needs serious game time to develop.
He’ll be loaned or sold in the summer imo.
Said it before, but he has no single physical attribute to be a top PL centre half. Well, he has a decent height, but he has no speed or strength. He’s no better than Michael Carrick at centre half.
I thought he was poor against Yeovil but to be writing him off already? Nonsense. Young player settling into a new league and having a handful of appearances at an (I’m assuming) unfamiliar position. He does need to get in the gym a bit but the strength issue is easily fixable.
Right now it’s looking like he’ll be loaned or sold in the summer.
He’s been disappointing. £30 million for a CB that rarely plays. Reminds me of the whole Mkhitaryan transfer. I’m willing to give him time but right now, he doesn’t strike me as a United player. Too weak and no particular aggression or energy about him.
United need fiery players. That’s why I rate Rojo and Bailly so much at the back. They get stuck in. Jones to an extent aswell but on pure footballing ability, I don’t rate him as highly as the other two.
We might have been better off keeping the £30 million and playing Mensah or Tuanzebe instead.
He’s been disappointing. £30 million for a CB that rarely plays. Reminds me of the whole Mkhitaryan transfer. I’m willing to give him time but right now, he doesn’t strike me as a United player. Too weak and no particular aggression or energy about him.
United need fiery players. That’s why I rate Rojo and Bailly so much at the back. They get stuck in. Jones to an extent aswell but on pure footballing ability, I don’t rate him as highly as the other two.
We might have been better off keeping the £30 million and playing Mensah or Tuanzebe instead.
Not very good against Yeovil, I don't want to write him off but there are lots of signs that he won't cut it. I feel it's one step forward and two steps back with him.
I prefer him to be part of a back three because of his ball playing ability. I wrote him off just before that good spell he had for us. I'll give him time.
Does he make many more mistakes than Smalling / Jones our other defenders?
I ask this because if he doesnt, we might as well put him in as hes much better on the ball than Smalling (for example).
Plus playing him will allow him to get a run and into a rhythm to iron out issues.
I ask this because if he doesnt, we might as well put him in as hes much better on the ball than Smalling (for example).
Plus playing him will allow him to get a run and into a rhythm to iron out issues.
Mourinho is a stubborn person. I don't see him giving Lindelöf a second chance. Rojo is next in line if he decides to switch Smalling or Jones.
I think he'll be given a chance to redeem himself vs Huddersfield.
That LCB position needs to be Rojo. But didnt Lindelof play there in his last team. Honestly though the idea was him LCB and Bailly RCB long term. Would be a good balance.
Yes. He's woeful and about as athletic as my toenail.
I thought there's a chance of that, but it didn't happen... Will we see Victor starting at least a few games this season? I wonder.
I can't wait for him to get in gear.
I'm tired of defenders treating the ball like a hot potato.
I'm tired of defenders treating the ball like a hot potato.
He really needs the chance. He's not started his career here well but he has improved a lot from those early games, and this season has made it very clear Smalling and Jones are not good enough to be starting for us. The position is his for the taking but I worry Mourinho's natural conservatism will keep him going for the safer options over testing if Lindelof can step up.
Based purely on his performances for us so far this season, he's nowhere near as good defensively as Smalling and Jones. He's made far more mistakes than them and is simply less capable defensively.
I'm not writing Lindelof off, there's a chance he might come good. But so far his performances have been too weak to trust him with a regular spot. He's certainly improved after his horror start, but even his 'improvement' has only been to a 5/10 level.
He was excellent against Watford and kept Sanchez quiet. Both games we played with 3 central defenders. I do think this is where he looks best.
Definitely. If we are playing three at the back there might be a spot for him. But for our normal four man defence it's hard to see him get ahead of Smalling, Jones and Rojo for now, and Bailly still has to come back.
Lindeloff plays in the CL; due to the game being slower and less physical. I think he plays less due to the break from the CL.
I think he will start in the CL against Sevilla because they do not use long or aerial balls which are Lindeloff's weakness.
I think he will start in the CL against Sevilla because they do not use long or aerial balls which are Lindeloff's weakness.
What low standards you must have if you think he's been excellent in any game fir United. He's been either poor or decent in every game, not a sign of excellence to be had. I'd be expecting a Rio, Stam or Vidic type performance for excellent.
None of our defenders have ever had an excellent game then, ok. The point is he had a good game.
I have forgotten about Lindelof recently. He was playing regularly around Novemeber/December time but we've hardly seen him since. He's struggling to get games now and this is with Bailly out. When Bailly returns it's going be even more difficult for him to get in the team. We have too many CB's at this club . 5 CB's fighting for 2 positions. Of course someone is going to be unhappy and we don't really play 3 at the back anymore so I don't really understand why we signed Lindelof. He only makes sense if we were going to play 3 at the back as our main formation and that isn't the case.
Interesting point, he's been played pretty consistently in all cup competitions.
Perhaps there is some logic to it all, that we as fans can't fathom.
Obviously they have. But hey be silly after you grossly overstate a players performance.
You’re the one who decided ‘excellent’ meant a Vidic tier performance. Give it a rest mate.
No the dictionary decided the meaning of excellent. So stop being silly.
I like this guy but he's been a bit of a joke hasn't he? He's been decent in a few games but when he was signed everyone thought he'd be partnering Bailly from the jump. Acclimatization to the English game aside, he just doesn't seem to stand out or have the tools in his locker to be a top CB for a top side. Some fans are now saying he was signed to play in back three and to step into midfield, just Mourinho mentioned playing him in midfield a few months after he signed and after his underwhelming introduction.
On what basis do you like him?
He seems likeable. He's also a very good passer of the ball. I think he just needs a little more aggression and confidence to his game. He has sicknotes in Rojo and Jones ahead of him the pecking order. I'd like to see him get ahead of them
You literally said excellent meant a Vidic or Rio type performance
Yes defining an defenders who’ve had excellent games for us. But carry on being silly.
He had a very good game, excellent game, good game, who cares. The point is he played well.
Victor will most likely play much better than both Smalling and Jones at the WC where England will crash out way too early, for the umpteenth time in history.
From what I've seen of him so far I can't see any future for him at United at centre back if we don't permanently go to a back 3 (not only a back 3 but mainly), but funnily enough I can at holding mid, anyone else see this possibility.
It's too early to write him off. I'm not sure what he's going to become, but he's clearly growing. He's one for the future and not to be relied on. If he stalls too long or shows he won't be good enough, cut bait. For now, he's a squad player to develop.
I could see him pairing well with Bailley or Jones.
I think he's a good ball playing center half with the time and space the position gives. I think with the speed and closer quarters of midfield play a lot of that wouldn't carry over.
I think so too. You need playing CBs to win in international football. But to be successful in CL he would need minutes on the pitch now.
What happened to him? Frozen out completely. Does look weird that he was bought in mind for us to play it out of defense and then we decide after few mistakes of his to revert to Smalling, which is complete antonym of Victor. Honestly, seems like our style in general and this particular episode demonstrate Jose's internal battles; one side of his clearly prefers archaic tactics with everyone behind the ball but the other side of his whispers to him that he can't be doing that at our Club, so he's stuck in between and swings from one side to another depending on circumstances and prevailing mood as we go along. As a result, we just don't look like a team as I feel Jose himself doesn't have the real vision in the first place on how he wants to make this all work.
Bring him in next game. Deserves a chance
Forget about Lindelöf. Rojo is next after Smalling. Then Tuanzebe. Then Mourinho's nephew.
He'll end up at Roma or something like that by next season.
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