[TheReligion]

He's a strange one isn't he. Was good against Leicester and can be very consistent but as mentioned before he just seems to lack in the strength/physicality department which means certain PL forwards can get to him and when his confidence goes he can look a trainwreck.

Technically he's good though; reads the game well, can pass the ball and is a good footballer. He also has very good timing. If he could just improve physically and strengthen his mentality he'd be quite a CB.

Issue being is it possible to improve those things?

 

[Pass and Move]

Lindelöf and de Gea both piss me off with their passive, reactionary nature. They both need to man-up for want of a better phrase. If Lindelöf was more proactive then he'd be a very good CB. He can play a good forward ball, but takes far too long to do so most of the time so our MF is left with no space.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

He's a strange one isn't he. Was good against Leicester and can be very consistent but as mentioned before he just seems to lack in the strength/physicality department which means certain PL forwards can get to him and when his confidence goes he can look a trainwreck.

Technically he's good though; reads the game well, can pass the ball and is a good footballer. He also has very good timing. If he could just improve physically and strengthen his mentality he'd be quite a CB.

Issue being is it possible to improve those things?

I don’t think these are things he can improve on.

As you say, he’s pretty consistent, and importantly stays fit (which for Utd is massive to have in a centre back!).

There’s nothing that he’s excellent at, he’s a good centre back, a 6/10 every week type player.

He should be a perfect squad player for a club like United. Always available, and more than capable playing against most clubs.

Maguire, New CB, Lindelof, Tuanzebe and whichever of Bailly, Jones and Rojo we can’t get rid of (at least 2 need to go) will be fine for next season. Although it’s slightly flippant to suggest we can just find a new starting CB easily.

Ultimately we need a better player to start regularly, but it might not be this summer that this happens.

 

[Toni Roncoroni]

He's a strange one isn't he. Was good against Leicester and can be very consistent but as mentioned before he just seems to lack in the strength/physicality department which means certain PL forwards can get to him and when his confidence goes he can look a trainwreck.

Technically he's good though; reads the game well, can pass the ball and is a good footballer. He also has very good timing. If he could just improve physically and strengthen his mentality he'd be quite a CB.

Issue being is it possible to improve those things?

Good post! You are making really good points here.

I like Lindelöf I have to admit. On the ball he is very good and he was like always available to play.
He should be more aggressive in aerial duels, especially in the own box. I think a more commanding GK would help him a lot. A GK who comes out and takes those balls. But as we do not have such a GK in De Gea it is really important for him to be more aggressiv in those situation and maybe anticipate better what could happen. If not he looks at fault like for Giroud's goal in the semifinal.

 

[Skåre Willoch]

He's a strange one isn't he. Was good against Leicester and can be very consistent but as mentioned before he just seems to lack in the strength/physicality department which means certain PL forwards can get to him and when his confidence goes he can look a trainwreck.

Technically he's good though; reads the game well, can pass the ball and is a good footballer. He also has very good timing. If he could just improve physically and strengthen his mentality he'd be quite a CB.

Issue being is it possible to improve those things?

Good post. His strength/physicality can certainly be worked on and improved. His mentality, I don't know. But I reckon he's done enough to deserve another season as a starter. Good player.

 

[dronesoul]

I would say he's a typical top-4 position defender and he will probably never be any better (or worse) than that. You can still win the league with him in the first 11, if you have exceptional players on most other positions. The problem is that outside of Bruno, when he's not completely run dry, we don't have any players that are consistently exceptional.

But it's also not easy - we have had 26 signings since SAF and the only one that is even close to being a success in his first season outside of Bruno is Zlatan. And he's is an experienced wayfarer that was a success on the field in his first season in every club he ever joined. I doubt there are that many player that can guarantee that outside of Messi, Kross, Lewandovski or Neymar currently.

I'd say De Gea is exceptional as well, but yeah, I agree.

As for Bruno, I've seen Lindelöf passing him and reaching him alot lately. Lindelöf played in Benfica from a young age, 17, basically grew up there. Maybe they both play a portugese style of football and therefore link up well.

 

[BenitoSTARR]

Victor Lindelof is the only defender this season who hasn’t been dribbled past in the PL.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Only one defender wasn&#39;t dribbled past in the Premier League this season.<br><br>His name? Victor Lindelöf. <a href="https://t.co/nY1eFml3d4">pic.twitter.com/nY1eFml3d4</a></p>&mdash; The United Stand (@UnitedStandMUFC) <a href="">July 30, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Posh Red]

Victor Lindelof is the only defender this season who hasn’t been dribbled past in the PL.

Is there a source for this?

 

[BenitoSTARR]

Would also like to point out everyone and their mothers were praising VVD when he managed this over a season so where is the Lindelof love?

 

[Kamprad]

Once again, the reason he doesnt get dribbled is that he backs away from the dribbler. He never attacks the ball or the player. Always. Sometimes he let the player pass, shot or make a delivery in the box. Other times a midfielder have time to arrive and take the ball.

 

[limerickcitykid]

Is there a source for this?

It’s not true, so I’d imagine not.

 

[11101]

I don’t think these are things he can improve on.

As you say, he’s pretty consistent, and importantly stays fit (which for Utd is massive to have in a centre back!).

There’s nothing that he’s excellent at, he’s a good centre back, a 6/10 every week type player.

He should be a perfect squad player for a club like United. Always available, and more than capable playing against most clubs.

Maguire, New CB, Lindelof, Tuanzebe and whichever of Bailly, Jones and Rojo we can’t get rid of (at least 2 need to go) will be fine for next season. Although it’s slightly flippant to suggest we can just find a new starting CB easily.

Ultimately we need a better player to start regularly, but it might not be this summer that this happens.

Like who? You can count on one hand the players who can do the physical side AND the ball playing side. Defenders are not made the way they used to be.

His ball playing side is underestimated. It's not about playing passes into midfield or the forwards. He's hard to press because he knows how to keep the ball moving and is comfortable receiving it in any situation.

 

[georgipep]

It’s not true, so I’d imagine not.

According to whoscored he has been dribbled past 3 times all season: once against West Ham, once again Tottenham and once against Wolves. He had a clean record up until 1st of Feb (Wolves game) though.

 

[Halftrack]

Once again, the reason he doesnt get dribbled is that he backs away from the dribbler. He never attacks the ball or the player. Always. Sometimes he let the player pass, shot or make a delivery in the box. Other times a midfielder have time to arrive and take the ball.

Remarkable how someone who never does anything manages to be a part of one of the better defenses in Europe.

 

[Raven]

Remarkable how someone who never does anything manages to be a part of one of the better defenses in Europe.

That's the caf for ya. Lindelof, in my opinion, has been better than Harry this season, not sure how people come to such weird conclusions.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Remarkable how someone who never does anything manages to be a part of one of the better defenses in Europe.

He's not saying he never does anything, he's just saying he has a tendancy to back off when someone's running at him, which is something both him and Maguire (especially Maguire actually) do tend to do a lot.

Seen it a fair few times this season, the most recent example was Trezeguet hitting the post in the Villa game.

 

[Eugenius]

Remarkable how someone who never does anything manages to be a part of one of the better defenses in Europe.

He was also a starter in one of our worst ever defensive records last season (when previously prior to that we had one of the best records consistently).

Our record says more that we now spend more time attacking and press from the front now.

 

[Halftrack]

That's the caf for ya. Lindelof, in my opinion, has been better than Harry this season, not sure how people come to such weird conclusions.

I just get tired of all the hyperbole. To a huge portion of the caf, players are either great or they're shit, with nothing in-between. And once they've made up their minds, they rarely change them, and will instead move the goalposts, or resort to denying reality in an attempt to gaslight you into agreeing with them.

He's not saying he never does anything, he's just saying he has a tendancy to back off when someone's running at him, which is something both him and Maguire (especially Maguire actually) do tend to do a lot.

Seen it a fair few times this season, the most recent example was Trezeguet hitting the post in the Villa game.

He said Lindelöf always backs off, sometimes letting a shot, pass or cross past him, other times a midfielder arrives and bails him out. Even as hyperbole, it's dumb.

He was also a starter in one of our worst ever defensive records last season (when previously prior to that we had one of the best records consistently).

Our record says more that we now spend more time attacking and press from the front now.

The season started with an implosion, followed by a managerial change, and he played with a rotating cast of misfits next to him. Despite this, he managed to look pretty good, and change a lot of Caf posters opinions of him during the campaign.

I'm not trying to make it out like he's a world beater, but the guy's clearly a pretty good defender.

 

[MetoTTT]

Always backed him after his 1st season (same with Fred!!!). He is a good defender (I like him) but we could upgrade on.

 

[Revan]

Good post. His strength/physicality can certainly be worked on and improved. His mentality, I don't know. But I reckon he's done enough to deserve another season as a starter. Good player.

He has decent strength IMO. Contrary to popular belief, he does not get bullied often. In fact, he has very decent ratio in everything (aerial duels, win rates, tackles etc, for example he was better than Smalling who has a status as a great defender here in all of them). The problem though - and undoubtedly a big one - is that he is a bit passive, and not try to win everything like Maguire does (who IMO overdoes it a bit like when he jumped on AWB's back for Soton goal). That is definitely something he should improve on, become more aggressive. The fundamentals are all there, he has decent skills, just need to become mentally stronger and more active, and then he would be one of the best defenders in the league.

 

[prateik]

Victor Lindelof is the only defender this season who hasn’t been dribbled past in the PL.

This is not a criticism of Lindelof... but this to me just proves that stat isnt impressive as I first thought when I heard it about VVD.

About Lindelof.. I like him. I think our defence is fine.. the first thing I would change would be the attacking output from the full backs..

 

[A-man]

Would also like to point out everyone and their mothers were praising VVD when he managed this over a season so where is the Lindelof love?

Yeah but there is a big difference. Other teams’ supporters are proud of their players and happy for their achievements but here people are more stuck in the past and prefer talking about Rio and Vidic’s achievements.

 

[Ekeke]

Victor Lindelof is the only defender this season who hasn’t been dribbled past in the PL.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Only one defender wasn&#39;t dribbled past in the Premier League this season.<br><br>His name? Victor Lindelöf. <a href="https://t.co/nY1eFml3d4">pic.twitter.com/nY1eFml3d4</a></p>&mdash; The United Stand (@UnitedStandMUFC) <a href="">July 30, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I swear theres twitter accounts out there just for propaganda for certain players

 

[7even]

According to different sources Viggo maybe has a little bit of domestic “problems” atm. A little bit of alcohol, sunny weather and maybe a couple of unidentified “friends” at the wrong location. Nobody knows exactly what happened but according to gossip it went from bad to worse when the night was over.

 

[hungrywing]

I swear theres twitter accounts out there just for propaganda for certain players

Bolded part isn't implausible at all and in certain negligible cases (aka small twitter accounts no one cares about) probably true.

Still, if you average by minutes it does seem Victor is up there in dribbled past/minutes played.

 

[Ekeke]

Bolded part isn't implausible at all and in certain negligible cases (aka small twitter accounts no one cares about) probably true.

Still, if you average by minutes it does seem Victor is up there in dribbled past/minutes played.

Yep. He has a very good success rate but few attempted tackles overall. Not the least from games played but up there

 

[Isotope]

It's only the Caf, some posters would prefer Lindelof to Maguire. If you offer any Club in the world between the two, it's obvious which one they'd prefer.
You can come out with stats and shit, but you just need to watch the games.
It's just so silly, imho.

 

[EwanI Ted]

He’s still a player I’d replace if possible. His lack of pace compounds Maguire’s lack of pace and De Gea’s tendency to stay on his line. His average ability in the air compounds De Gea’s limited ability to take crosses. He also seems to struggle to reach his best consistently. Every now and again he pulls a blinder and looks really dominant, but then it goes again for another 5 or 6 games. Hes good enough if we can’t find someone who’s a clear upgrade, but it should be a target position for us.

 

[Andycoleno9]

It's only the Caf, some posters would prefer Lindelof to Maguire. If you offer any Club in the world between the two, it's obvious which one they'd prefer.
You can come out with stats and shit, but you just need to watch the games.
It's just so silly, imho.

Ha ha ha. Yes, it is obvious. Outside PL every club would pick Lindelof.

 

[Cassidy]

It's only the Caf, some posters would prefer Lindelof to Maguire. If you offer any Club in the world between the two, it's obvious which one they'd prefer.
You can come out with stats and shit, but you just need to watch the games.
It's just so silly, imho.

Thats why Barca wanted Lindelof last summer and not Maguire

 

[Henandez14]

It's only the Caf, some posters would prefer Lindelof to Maguire. If you offer any Club in the world between the two, it's obvious which one they'd prefer.
You can come out with stats and shit, but you just need to watch the games.
It's just so silly, imho.

That’s right. You just need to watch the games

 

[Kostov]

Thats why Barca wanted Lindelof last summer and not Maguire

Barca wanted and got Pique who was very ordinary for us, means shit.

 

[A-man]

I would say most clubs would prefer Maguire over Lindelof, especially because he would be much better in weaker teams who need to strengthen their central defence. When it comes to top clubs in Europe I think is more even between them. I don’t think Lindelof is good enough to play at Barca but I can definitely not see Maguire play there.

 

[Henandez14]

Barca wanted and got Pique who was very ordinary for us, means shit.

Barca wanted and got pique who went on to be a mainstay for several years.

 

[Squeaky Bumtime]

Once again, the reason he doesnt get dribbled is that he backs away from the dribbler. He never attacks the ball or the player. Always. Sometimes he let the player pass, shot or make a delivery in the box. Other times a midfielder have time to arrive and take the ball.

What does he do then?

 

[romufc]

Would also like to point out everyone and their mothers were praising VVD when he managed this over a season so where is the Lindelof love?

Now the stat doesn't mean anything....

The Lindelof hate is real. I saw one poster saying he is too passive etc.. That is how he is though.

I see alot of fans saying the same things about Martial not too long ago. He is crap, he doesnt show desire.

Lindelof needs to improve on his strength, but he is still a decent CB.

 

[Kostov]

Barca wanted and got pique who went on to be a mainstay for several years.

Yes they did, and that for 5 million euros I think. That same Pique was a liability for us and Fergie decided to let him go and replace him with Evans. My point is some player are more suited to some leagues, Pique would have never gotten the same acclaim and medals if he stayed here and that's not even counting Rio and Vidic.

 

[Cassidy]

Barca wanted and got Pique who was very ordinary for us, means shit.

Ordinary ha. He was very talented and went on to be one of the best because of that. As Lindelof has always been.
Anyway to the point the poster said all clubs would choose Maguire. Some evidence suggests otherwise.

 

[Kostov]

Ordinary ha. He was very talented and went on to be one of the best because of that. As Lindelof has always been.
Anyway to the point the poster said all clubs would choose Maguire. Some evidence suggests otherwise.

He was very talented but struggled with the nature of the PL and would have continued to do so if we remained here. He went on to become one of the best because he found the perfect environment for his style of play and style of defending. The ever criticized Evans performed better therefor it was easy for Fergie to let him go. And Pique's talent was in another stratosphere compared to Lindelof.

And what evidence is that exactly? A tabloid rumor that Barca wanted him? You have Pep actually talking about wanting Maguire how many times? What does than mean then?

 

[Cassidy]

He was very talented but struggled with the nature of the PL and would have continued to do so if we remained here. He went on to become one of the best because he found the perfect environment for his style of play and style of defending. The ever criticized Evans performed better therefor it was easy for Fergie to let him go. And Pique's talent was in another stratosphere compared to Lindelof.

And what evidence is that exactly? A tabloid rumor that Barca wanted him? You have Pep actually talking about wanting Maguire how many times? What does than mean then?

Thats your assessment. In my opinion he could have adapted here given more time. But I guess righting off young players who have not played alot of games is a thing