[whatwha]

Glad I'm not the only one who didn't buy into that myth. There's been a mix up of Evra & Vidic as they came in the same window and after a few years people started to sentimentally recalling them to have had such bad start to their Utd careers whereas in fact only Evra had.

EDIT: Not sure the memory serves but didn't Vidic get an assist in his debut? Against Wolves I think.

His debut was a sub appearance coming on for Ruud against Blackburn. Not sure about his full debut.

What I remember best about his first couple of months was the match against Liverpool (? Might have been someone else). An opposing attacker kicked the ball ahead and was headed clean through on goal. Vidic jumped into his path face on and bowled him over with an obstruction. It was the clearest foul you'll see but I took it as a good sign, a sign that he would do anything to stop someone getting past him!

 

[Tomuś]

Just checked, indeed his first start came against Wolves, assisted Saha goal. He wasn't the Vidic we would have later known for different reasons also internal squad quality/transition. Ferdinand himself became his best self only next season. That saying, he [Vidic]was still doing OK all things considered.

 

[Harry190]

Pallister, Stam, Vidic were all man-mountains. Hulking men.

This one has a pencil neck and stupid tatoos.

 

[pocco]

Pallister, Stam, Vidic were all man-mountains. Hulking men.

This one has a pencil neck and stupid tatoos.

Vidic was tall enough but wasn't built like the other two.

 

[Pexbo]

Vidic was tall enough but wasn't built like the other two.

Aye Vidic was actually very lean. Tough as hell in the head though.

 

[Skills]

Aye Vidic was actually very lean. Tough as hell in the head though.

His baggy shirt made him look bigger than he was.

 

[Harry190]

Vidic was lean but hit you like a granite wall and was nigh on invincible in the air.

Did not have a pencil neck either

 

[Womp]

Vidic was lean but hit you like a granite wall and was nigh on invincible in the air.

Did not have a pencil neck either

We have Bailly for the Vidic role though tbf. Lindelof was brought in for his ability to play out from the back. It hasn't worked out too well yet, but I'm sure it'll improve.

 

[whatwha]

His baggy shirt made him look bigger than he was.

[Insert Deus Ex quote]

 

[Harry190]

We have Bailly for the Vidic role though tbf. Lindelof was brought in for his ability to play out from the back. It hasn't worked out too well yet, but I'm sure it'll improve.

I am not too concerned about the other options we have, just wanted to point out that those other players who some seem to think had poor debuts were otherwise blessed with very apparent and obvious physical qualities which could compensate for an off-day, or in this case, multiple consecutive off-days.

Lindelof doesn't.

 

[Womp]

I am not too concerned about the other options we have, just wanted to point out that those other players who some seem to think had poor debuts were otherwise blessed with very apparent and obvious physical qualities which could compensate for an off-day, or in this case, multiple consecutive off-days.

Lindelof doesn't.

Fair enough, but I still think people need to be a little more patient with him. He made a huge step up to a much more competitive league and team, it's completely plausible that he'd need time to adapt.

 

[Harry190]

Fair enough, but I still think people need to be a little more patient with him. He made a huge step up to a much more competitive league and team, it's completely plausible that he'd need time to adapt.

I really hope that he proves me wrong, I would love it actually.

I just don't believe it'll be enough to endear him to the United crowd. He gives me the same feeling I get when I watch an Arsenal centre back play football, not from the nineties and very early 2000s but rather the Niles and Holden vibe.

 

[TheSwedeFromSweden]

 

[don't sign old players]

The worst thing about the penalty is that I saw it coming a mile off. Why did he do it? If Fosu Mensah did that there would be calls for the headless chicken to be banished.

 

[CG1010]

I am not too concerned about the other options we have, just wanted to point out that those other players who some seem to think had poor debuts were otherwise blessed with very apparent and obvious physical qualities which could compensate for an off-day, or in this case, multiple consecutive off-days.

Lindelof doesn't.

What does that mean? How can physical qualities compensate for an off-day? Did Vidic's physical qualities compensate in that Liverpool game? And why focus on physical characteristics only? Maybe Lindelof will show fantastic technical and passing ability that will still make him useful in bad games? Not all defenders need to be physical beasts you know.

 

[Nighteyes]

The worst thing about the penalty is that I saw it coming a mile off. Why did he do it? If Fosu Mensah did that there would be calls for the headless chicken to be banished.

I very much doubt that.

Also, why is everyone so bothered about the penalty miss. I imagine he's never likely to take a pen again for United so it hardly matters if he's shit at them.

 

[don't sign old players]

I very much doubt that.

Also, why is everyone so bothered about the penalty miss. I imagine he's never likely to take a pen again for United so it hardly matters if he's shit at them.

I made no mention of the penalty miss. I was referring to the penalty he gave away.

 

[Nighteyes]

I made no mention of the penalty miss. I was referring to the penalty he gave away.

Ah right.

To be fair, TFM can be something of a headless chicken but I haven't seen him get the kind of stick you're implying. But if Lindelof keeps this up during the season he's going to get loads of stick so I wouldn't worry about that.

 

[don't sign old players]

Ah right.

To be fair, TFM can be something of a headless chicken but I haven't seen him get the kind of stick you're implying. But if Lindelof keeps this up during the season he's going to get loads of stick so I wouldn't worry about that.

Yeah fair enough. I'll leave it to others from now on, I promise.

 

[khoazany]

I just hope that if he plays (in competitive fixtures) it would be on merit and not because he's a flashy new signing like what happened with Memphis until he's really out of his depth.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Glad I'm not the only one who didn't buy into that myth. There's been a mix up of Evra & Vidic as they came in the same window and after a few years people started to sentimentally recalling them to have had such bad start to their Utd careers whereas in fact only Evra had.

EDIT: Not sure the memory serves but didn't Vidic get an assist in his debut? Against Wolves I think.

There is no "myth". Evra had woeful debut (probably the worst I've ever seen) and was consistently fairly poor for almost the whole of the rest of that season. Quite a lot of people were still saying he wouldn't make it at United deep into the following season.

Vidic got up to speed much quicker than Evra and was looking seriously impressive by the end of the season in which he was signed. However, he did look off the pace in his first few games, often looking clumsy and late in the tackle.

 

[Sammyjunn]

There is no "myth". Evra had woeful debut (probably the worst I've ever seen) and was consistently fairly poor for almost the whole of the rest of that season. Quite a lot of people were still saying he wouldn't make it at United deep into the following season.

Vidic got up to speed much quicker than Evra and was looking seriously impressive by the end of the season in which he was signed. However, he did look off the pace in his first few games, often looking clumsy and late in the tackle.

Nail on head, however being off the pace mid season in January in the fastest paced league in the world is quite different to being off the pace in pre season playing against teams in pre season mode too.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Nail on head, however being off the pace mid season in January in the fastest paced league in the world is quite different to being off the pace in pre season playing against teams in pre season mode too.

True although Lindelof hasn't looked off the pace overall. Penalty aside, he's looked tidy enough. Just not particularly impressive. Which is mainly because we haven't seen his best qualities, his passing, because he's been (understandably) erring on the side of caution.

 

[Sammyjunn]

True although Lindelof hasn't looked off the pace overall. Penalty aside, he's looked tidy enough. Just not particularly impressive. Which is mainly because we haven't seen his best qualities, his passing, because he's been (understandably) erring on the side of caution.

Mwah some dodgy defending in earlier matches too, didnt do an awful lot wrong but nothing good either but anyway, fitness is actually the priority for now. Let's see how his form is in a month's time.

 

[devilish]

Vidic and Evra came from a different league and found themselves right into a settled defence which was already in the middle of a league campaign. Every mistake could cost us points.Lindelof on the other hand is being slowly introduced to the first team. He's playing against either smaller teams or big teams whose out of fitness. There's plenty of comparisions between the two situations however the former situation is far more difficult to go into then the latter.

I don't want to count Lindelhack out after just 2 preseason games. However, we need to be careful not to hype the boy too much. The Portuguese league is hardly the best league in the world. Its a league that made the likes of Mangala and Rojo look good.

 

[Inter Yer Nan]

Vidic and Evra came from a different league and found themselves right into a settled defence which was already in the middle of a league campaign. Every mistake could cost us points.Lindelof on the other hand is being slowly introduced to the first team. He's playing against either smaller teams or big teams whose out of fitness. There's plenty of comparisions between the two situations however the former situation is far more difficult to go into then the latter.

I don't want to count Lindelhack out after just 2 preseason games. However, we need to be careful not to hype the boy too much. The Portuguese league is hardly the best league in the world. Its a league that made the likes of Mangala and Rojo look good.

Rojo is good. Very good.

 

[devilish]

Rojo is good. Very good.

In two years he gave us like 2 montha of decent football

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

In two years he gave us like 2 montha of decent football

Nonsense @devilish, he was very good in LVG's first season when played centrally. He was also an ever-present from October to April last season and his form remained superb.

 

[devilish]

Nonsense @devilish, he was very good in LVG's first season when played centrally. He was also an ever-present from October to April last season and his form remained superb.

Not really. There is a reason why bailly won his first team place immediately. Its the same reason why we spend 30m on a new cb. Tge rest arent very good in defending.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

Not really. There is a reason why bailly won his first team place immediately. Its the same reason why we spend 30m on a new cb. Tge rest arent very good in defending.

Not really what? He didn't grab a starting spot last season and keep it for 6 months even occasionally forcing Bailly to RB?

I'm pretty sure he did.

 

[devilish]

Not really what? He didn't grab a starting spot last season and keep it for 6 months even occasionally forcing Bailly to RB?

I'm pretty sure he did.

Bailly was our first team cb last year.

 

[Nighteyes]

Rojo is average at best. 4 months of good football where he was still rash and could have been sent off about thrice is about as good as it gets.

One would hope Lindelof is level above that.

 

[Acole9]

He hasn't been that bad. The media love an expensive flop and are trying to make him just that. Please guys give him a chance in the proper matches rather than writing him off straight away.

 

[Offside]

That mistake must have been nerves. There's no way even a settled league 2 defender would do that. He had a complete brain-fart I reckon. Apart from that he looks really good on the ball.

 

[Jaybomb]

Rojo is average at best. 4 months of good football where he was still rash and could have been sent off about thrice is about as good as it gets.

One would hope Lindelof is level above that.

What are you on about.

Rojo never put a foot wrong all season but you're writing him off cause he had a few poor games at LB under LVG... how does that make sense?

 

[Godfather]

Any thread to slag off Rojo who was our best defender last year until his inquiry. Very well done cafe

 

[Tomuś]

There is no "myth". Evra had woeful debut (probably the worst I've ever seen) and was consistently fairly poor for almost the whole of the rest of that season. Quite a lot of people were still saying he wouldn't make it at United deep into the following season.

Vidic got up to speed much quicker than Evra and was looking seriously impressive by the end of the season in which he was signed. However, he did look off the pace in his first few games, often looking clumsy and late in the tackle.

This is Vidic's 'bad day at the office', he would look like this anytime he didn't have the best of days. Not a symptom of teething problems. Also, part of the 'problem' was caused by incoherence of our back line and a team as a whole. Ferdinand himself wasn't half the player he would become just a year later and I refuse to believe he miraculously learned how to play during 06/07. Compared to Evra, Vidic had a regular start to a career for a CB in the fastest league (which wasn't his best trait) and mid-season.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Nonsense @devilish, he was very good in LVG's first season when played centrally. He was also an ever-present from October to April last season and his form remained superb.

I thought he was very hit and miss in his first season, no matter where he played. Consistently excellent under Mourinho, though (bar those 2 or 3 crazy two-footers). A player taking a season to settle in a new league. Who's have thunk it? I'm mainly embarrassed that, for once, I didn't follow my own advice and didn't allow him that period of grace. I wanted him gone with Van Gaal. How wrong I was.

 

[Rozay]

He hasn't been that bad. The media love an expensive flop and are trying to make him just that. Please guys give him a chance in the proper matches rather than writing him off straight away.

He has, to be fair. Not saying it's the end for him (nor am I in the camp just stating as fact that he will come good) - but he's been awful in pre season. On the whole, we have had very little defending to do, yet he has managed several very poor pieces of it. He has probably been responsible for every goal we have conceded so far while he's been on the pitch.

Writing him off would be stupid. Just as this stance people are putting on that there is nothing to be concerned about is stupid. There's plenty to be concerned about so far. Just as if he had been great, there would be plenty to look forward to.

 

[Nighteyes]

What are you on about.

Rojo never put a foot wrong all season but you're writing him off cause he had a few poor games at LB under LVG... how does that make sense?

He was rubbish under LVG in all positions. Few poor games is one massive understatement to say the least.