That's why he's not really what we need. His 'defending ' mainly consists of trying to inconvenience attackers rather than dominate them. It lets a lot of attacks build that could have been nipped in the bud
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Season Average Rating
- Appearances
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- Assists
- 1
- Yellow cards
- 6
- Status
100% agree that Smalling would clear that ball and would not let that journeyman striker score the goal.
They step up their performances at the very least, unlike Lindelof who'll just stand off his player even more so he doesn't get blamed again for fecking up.
Exactly, that style worked when Dave was masquerading as Superman and saved practically everything.
Now that Dave has dropped back to being human again, Lindelof's style is just asking for trouble.
Maguire and Lindelof tied up pretty decently all season, which helped our defensive performance. Unless one wants to deliberately ignore Lindelof contribution in this, it isn't that bad as people make it to be. He has some brain dead moments, but so does Maguire. And I have never seen Maguire apologizing to anyone after a bad decision.
Can we have an upgrade for Lindelof? Yes, of course. But because we need higher ceiling players. On similar lines, we also need upgrade for AWB, Shaw.
My exact sentiments since his first season. He has no standout quality. Weak in the air, lacks strength and not incredibly quick. What I deem unforgivable is his incredible passiveness and lack of awareness. He is always delegating when it’s his position or space to dominate. I play centre back in amateur football all my life. Not saying it’s the same but what pisses me off are that some players just go through the motion when it comes to cutting out threats. It’s in their nature and no amount of screaming or tactics will change it. Zero determination to atttack the ball to make it difficult for attackers to anticipate (even an unsuccessful jump to head will make things difficult for the attacker, compared to a tap in) , no positional sense and awareness, and that’s what happened with both our goals. It’s difficult to explain and quite frankly, I’m tried and sick of how standards have fallen.
What happened to this guy since his departure from Benfica? He should be deputizing for Matic instead of holding the backline.
So is everyone going to ignore the fact that the second goal is entirely on AWB?
Lindelöf clearly checks his shoulder and sees De Jong with AWB before the cross comes in.
How can it be his fault when AWB let's him go?
Are you expecting him to cover the whole pitch? Isn't it more reasonable for AWB to use his mouth and communicate before, during and after he has decided that hes not gonna mark their striker?
Lindelöf clearly checks his shoulder and sees De Jong with AWB before the cross comes in.
How can it be his fault when AWB let's him go?
Are you expecting him to cover the whole pitch? Isn't it more reasonable for AWB to use his mouth and communicate before, during and after he has decided that hes not gonna mark their striker?
Rubbish... AWB tracked him all the way, I agree. But that is the centreback zone. As a CB, u should always aware yourself of all the threats in your zone, position yourself to dominate the space, close the gap between you and the nearest threat. That way, when the cross comes in, you attack it. Whether you successfully clear or not, that creates pressure or even a hair would divert the trajectory of the cross, screwing up the opponent’s anticipation. What’s unforgivable is his lack of aggression. He is always passive and as a CB, he has let the defence down on numerous occasions.
If only he's as aggressive to his opponent as to his teammate (even when he fecked up) 
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Agree. Last part of the game and they conced a goal from pretty much nothing. Emotions and i like it.
But i would like to see the captain doing what Bruno does in that situation.
He is out of position and so is Maguire
Oh come on now, I know the guy has big fans on here, but that's just not true.
Again, ask yourself - who do you want marking their tall striker when there is literally no one around for about 30 yards? Your taller CB or your RB who isn't great in the air? What if the cross had been in the air and AWB had picked him up all the way as you suggest he should? Who would be the favourite to win that header? De Jong or AWB?
AWB is obviously at fault because you don't just leave a man until its clear that your CB is picking him up - its rubbish communication and also just passive from him... but Lindelof is the senior CB and has to take charge of the scenario.
Fact is as there is no one else around, they should just double up on the bloke - make it impossible for him to score. Lindelof is doing feck all in that position.
Don't know why so many guys persist with the discussion. Lindelöf is the main culprit, with AWB having some of it as well. Period. Case closed.
The club is obviously trying to bring in another CB to make the situation better for all of us and improve the team. That means benching Lindelöf, but that is fine. We will improve this way.
The club is obviously trying to bring in another CB to make the situation better for all of us and improve the team. That means benching Lindelöf, but that is fine. We will improve this way.
He could have done that by marking a striker.
TBF to him it was brilliant cross. It was whipped in with pace and dipped perfectly for De Jong.
However matches are won on moments like this. A world class defender would have headed it away.
However matches are won on moments like this. A world class defender would have headed it away.
I don't disagree that he wasn't Vidic's level, just that he was generally able to come in and perform to a good level without being a weak link. I think people forget how much Rio and Vidic were injured 2010-13 and that Evans probably played as much as they did.
Quite frankly I think Evans is a better player than Lindelof. Lindelof I think only really has fans on here because he's not the SAF old guard (Smalling) and we have some genuinely kamikaze defenders in Bailly, Rojo and Jones. But really he's an average centre back - fairly consistent, fit, good on the ball fair enough. But also a complete shirker, bad at sensing danger, bad in the air so basically gives you a 6/7 out of 10 performance until one his weaknesses gifts the opposition a goal.
Solely blaming VNL for the goal isn't fair since it was AWB who followed de Jong right up until 1 second before the cross was whipped in. Sure, as Scholes were saying, VNL should know where the other teams central striker is but it is also beyond my understanding how AWB doesn't communicate and just leaves him unmarked.
Many in here are so in love with Maguire and Wan Bissaka it's insane. VNL has been the most consistent performer in the backline since the restart. End of.
Many in here are so in love with Maguire and Wan Bissaka it's insane. VNL has been the most consistent performer in the backline since the restart. End of.
They were arguing in Portuguese.
Bruno confronted Lindelof and blamed him. Then Lindelof called him a "vai-te foder tu oh filho da puta"
"feck you, you son of a b^tch"
Bruno confronted Lindelof and blamed him. Then Lindelof called him a "vai-te foder tu oh filho da puta"
"feck you, you son of a b^tch"
Messi header in the cl? Wasnt neville closest and rio in no mans land a bit as well?
Ronaldos header for real in the cl over the top of evra?
These are all based of memory and could be totally wrong.
Awb should have stayed with his man, lindelof should have dropped deeper and cut out the cross before it even got there. Both at fault
He got found out on a bigger stage
I know it’s the heat of the moment but that’s no way to speak to a team mate
This, there is a whole collection of faults. Williams getting beaten, Maguire being too far out, Lindelof following Maguire, Bissaka not realising the problem and dealing with the man.
Lindelof should have dropped back to be with DeJong, he doesn’t and Bissaka should have then picked him up. Whole load of errors in that.
I felt Lindelof bar this moment had a really good game. Was aggressive, making blocks winning headers really snapping in at people. That shoulder check the ref blew up for as well. That was never a foul on Benega.
But, a poor 5 seconds and it unravels all the good stuff he did previously in the game.
All true.
It's still hard to accept we threw away the lead by giving up such poor goals. Our defending is garbage.
Especially when you fecked up in the first place
Ironically showed more aggression and intensity towards Bruno than he ever does towards opposition attackers
I'm going to say both Lindelof and AWB were at fault. Clearly AWB was tracking the forward before the goal and then as the striker moved more centrally he let him go. The striker was behind Lindelof. None of us know what communication there was between AWB and Lindelof. Anyhow, regardless who was at fault. It's not god enough
He reacted as if Bruno was the goal. But when the actual goal happened he was like "mmmhmmm yes it's a goal alright".If only he's as aggressive to his opponent as to his teammate (even when he fecked up)
I agree with Scholes on the matter: Lindelof is simply not good enough for our ambitions. Would rather bring back Smalling and play him next to Maguire.
This is systematic throughout the side unfortunately.
Lots of good defending, lots of pretty approach play with an equal amount of shambolic defending and profligate finishing.
Unfortunately doing 90% of your work to a good standard isn't always enough at this level.
Lindelof is obviously not the answer to our CB issues and AWB is a good defender but not a great RB going forward.
Could AWB replace Lindelof is central defence and we buy a decent offensive RB ?
Could AWB replace Lindelof is central defence and we buy a decent offensive RB ?
Agree they both should have marked him as it’s not as though the area was swarming with foes.
Blame is more or less equal but I think AWB has the opponent and leaves him. He should probably deal with that and then hammer Lindelof for not doing his job. But it was bad all round.
I like Lindelof. He is very good really. Has decent enough pace, makes some good blocks, is decent on the ball. Not a bad guy to have in the squad. But he’s not good enough if we want to win consistently. An absolute top CB to play with Maguire should be one of our three priority targets this summer.
They're both massively at fault there. It's sad because Lindelof actually had a brilliant game up till then, however in that specific instance, the defending was below even championship level. It was a nothing ball really - such a let down.
I actually thought he played well before he had a brain fart so it was completely he’s fault. But IMO AWB was just as guilty & should’ve anticipated the danger to give Lindelof the extra cover.
AWB wasn't goal side at all and wasn't in line with his CBs even as they were going towards DDG goal. He sees the man and ball in front of him the entire time. The ball cannot score on its own and he was marking him the entire time. That close to goal, you're supposed to be on your man and not just passing them on to your other partner. Lindelof was in position for a low ground cross and aerial cross, but the cross was deflected and looped ahead of him and over him...he was totally beat by the ball because it was deflected right into the path of De Jong. Super fortunate deflection and all it took was a redirect towards goal. Lindelof was being active as he should. Looking behind him allowed him to know De Jong didn't do a near post run or attack the space near post which Lindelof was covering. AWB wasn't close enough and he stopped tracking his guy, lost his position never being goal side or in line with his CBs while seeing his opponent get in front of him and goal side together. Just poor from AWB. You can't really take up another position once a ball deflected like that...the guy covering the cross in the air and ground is at the mercy of the deflection of the ball. What's happening behind while the ball is being played is AWB not defending the man or at least competing with him getting position.
You can't let one guy beat you like that and nobody looks good. A deflected cross like that beat United and that's so disappointing. Just not acceptable when the margins are so small.
You can't let one guy beat you like that and nobody looks good. A deflected cross like that beat United and that's so disappointing. Just not acceptable when the margins are so small.
He’s not what we need if we want to win cups and challenge for the title. I’m not basing this on yesterday’s incident but overall performance.
There are players who do well only when everything is going fine and there are players who fight when things are not as expected. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have the fight to lift his or the teams performance. We need someone who can drag others and get a performance out of the unit. Defending is more about the back 5 inside the D and we need a Rio alongside HM to get this unit working.
100m on Sancho can help us win many matches but 100m on someone at peak Rio levels (plus consistency) will make sure we challenge for the title.
Edit: reworded
There are players who do well only when everything is going fine and there are players who fight when things are not as expected. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have the fight to lift his or the teams performance. We need someone who can drag others and get a performance out of the unit. Defending is more about the back 5 inside the D and we need a Rio alongside HM to get this unit working.
100m on Sancho can help us win many matches but 100m on someone at peak Rio levels (plus consistency) will make sure we challenge for the title.
Edit: reworded
Been defending Lindelof for the past month and a bit but was shocking yesterday. What a crap performance.
Our CB communication with the full backs is non existent.
Lindelof and AWB on one side is poor
Maguire and Williams was poor on the opp side too.
Our CB communication with the full backs is non existent.
Lindelof and AWB on one side is poor
Maguire and Williams was poor on the opp side too.
It's an overreaction if this wasn't a regular occurrence.
I'm sorry but he's just not good enough. People can post all the goals conceded stat they want, but "good game, other than that mistake that resulted in our loss" is not good enough for a club like Man Utd.
The worrying thing is, I don't think Ole will invest in a centre back. I think it's not on the forefront of his priorities. We'll be seeing a lot of Victor fecking Lindelof for awhile.
While Lindelof share some of the blame, AWB was the main culprit again for the goal. The boy would not even open his mouth to talk especially when decisions go wrongfully against him, no surprise he didn't communicate.
Honestly just fed up with both of them especially AWB because we are not signing another RB. For Lindelof we know we will be upgrading very soon in that position at least.
Honestly just fed up with both of them especially AWB because we are not signing another RB. For Lindelof we know we will be upgrading very soon in that position at least.
Agree that Liverpool would probably (we’ll never know 100%) have a few less goals conceded if the league race was tighter to the end.
But if we look at our defence: Least amount of conceded goals in open play, but quite many at setpieces as you say. That’s where the whole team defend the goal not just the four defenders and goalie. I have gone through our conceded goals from set pieces and I don’t think improving the aerial capacity of one CB (Lindelof) would help much. Many of the goals are headed far from goal where our CB don’t defend, and then scored by foot of the forward close to the CBs. To improve the defence, improving at setpieces should be prioritised imo.
Agree with this but honestly speaking now man, do you think AWB is good enough?
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