[Sylar]

We need to stop buying people like him to be "squad options." If he's the sort of quality you get as squad options, we might as well use our academy players.

Didn't we buy him to be a first teamer? Was meant to be him and bailly as Joses two cbs...

Anyway I agree with the concept. Weve wasted so much on average at best players spread out, when we could have saved that money, played youth who would probably follow instructions better and would try even if not good enough.

Anyway lindelof is another that needs to go in the summer

 

[Bobski]

He has always been such an atrociously soft player, it was obvious from his first season but he has managed to have a long career here through not making basic mistakes, nevermind he almost never makes any type of positive impact on a game, or takes real defensive responsibility.

Evans in his dotage is twice the player.

 

[RedRocket9908]

I really dont know what the point in Victor playing as a defender is anymore, he completely lacks any real defensive qualities and refuses to even put in a challenge when an opposition player has the ball right in front of him, he could have easilly stopped Foden from getting a shot away on City's first goal but didnt.

 

[Slevs]

Made an excellent tactical foul on the 33rd minute to prevent a dangerous city counter.
But yeah, move on, not good enough.

 

[GioF]

What made me go nuts even more was AFTER he let Foden cut inside on his left foot with zero pressure and score; he immediately did the same thing again two mins later.

Instead of showing Foden away from goal on his weaker right foot he did the complete opposite of what he ‘should have done’. This is coming from an experienced international footballer.

I get he’s playing out of position but he’s played there before and surely they would have game planned to not let Foden cut inside. Furthermore is there no kid in the 18-21’s who’s a proper left back?

 

[criticalanalysis]

He's a bitch, softest cb I've seen.

Terrible player, but we've known that for years.

He had one job. Dont let Foden come inside from the right wing and shoot with his left foot. Was too much defending for him to do it

He has always been such an atrociously soft player, it was obvious from his first season but he has managed to have a long career here through not making basic mistakes, nevermind he almost never makes any type of positive impact on a game, or takes real defensive responsibility.

Evans in his dotage is twice the player.

I really dont know what the point in Victor playing as a defender is anymore, he completely lacks any real defensive qualities and refuses to even put in a challenge when an opposition player has the ball right in front of him, he could have easilly stopped Foden from getting a shot away on City's first goal but didnt.

All spot on.

What an absolute pathetic and sorry excuse of a 'defender'. Constantly backing off, 5 yards away from any opposition player, allows them to dictate where they want to go and what they want to do with the ball. Horrendous on the ball and off it.

 

[arthurka]

Been on his back since the beginning, he is a nothing defender. Weak, slow and has no to notch attributes to mention. He is the epitome of United's problems we tolerate mediocrity hell we cheer it and give out new contracts for these players all the time. We are truly a lost club.

 

[A-man]

Been on his back since the beginning, he is a nothing defender. Weak, slow and has no to notch attributes to mention. He is the epitome of United's problems we tolerate mediocrity hell we cheer it and give out new contracts for these players all the time. We are truly a lost club.

Who would you have preferred as LB today?

 

[UpWithRivers]

Scapegoating. He did OK playing out of position. I'd like to see who else was supposed to do better at left back against Foden. Amrabat would have been destroyed as would any other CB. Fodens goal was just a good goal. He was already inside. Not like he was on the wing. If lindelof let him get to the side of him he would have been more fkd.

 

[arthurka]

Who would you have preferred as LB today?

I would give any young player a run instead of him. Dalot on the left and Willy on the right.

 

[Saffron]

https://dubz.co/v/m3tyj4

Watch Lindelof instinctively cower in fear and duck as Foden heads it in for Haaland.

He’s the last line of defense and he’s making himself smaller, literally preferring to let the ball fly past rather than risk taking an ouchie and block it with his head.

Not the first time it’s happened either.

 

[Who's Kissing Cameras?]

Slightly above average CB, horrific at LB. He should never play there again.

Seems like his good form from last season covering for Varane/Licha has disappeared.

As I said in October. It’s time for Lindelof to go. He’s proven not good enough since 2017. Stiff, passive, cowardly defender with no pace, and not good on ball give or take a long pass.

 

[golden_blunder]

Scapegoating. He did OK playing out of position. I'd like to see who else was supposed to do better at left back against Foden. Amrabat would have been destroyed as would any other CB. Fodens goal was just a good goal. He was already inside. Not like he was on the wing. If lindelof let him get to the side of him he would have been more fkd.

What’s more fkd than your man scoring?

 

[UpWithRivers]

What’s more fkd than your man scoring?

Scoring from you letting him run past you than a wonder shot from outside the box

 

[criticalanalysis]

I would give any young player a run instead of him. Dalot on the left and Willy on the right.

You've been set up and asked to reply to the wrong point. You don't need to justify who should play left back and your original post still stands. The issue is not that Lindelof isn't a left back, it's why is our most experienced and senior defender at the club doing such basic things as allowing Foden 5 yards of space, getting his body all square and letting him cut inside? It's the fact he's such a terrible player with minimal defensive instincts and proactive awareness.

Scapegoating. He did OK playing out of position. I'd like to see who else was supposed to do better at left back against Foden. Amrabat would have been destroyed as would any other CB. Fodens goal was just a good goal. He was already inside. Not like he was on the wing. If lindelof let him get to the side of him he would have been more fkd.

That's exactly what every player down the channel should do 9/10 if they can't handle them 1 on 1. You slow them down, make them go wide (where you set up your body to bait them to go that way) and then get across to block the cross/pass and/or jostle to make them recycle it again. In this whole period, the defence then gets a chance to get set and defend the scenario. You also give yourself a chance for your team mates to come support you. You don't let a player come inside and allow them to pass the ball into open areas in front of the goal or in this case take a shot from a decent shooting position (relatively speaking). It's basic defending. Something you should expect of a central defender of 29 years old.

 

[arnie_ni]

At fault for the first two goals imo. Soft as sin.

 

[golden_blunder]

Scoring from you letting him run past you than a wonder shot from outside the box

Debatable

 

[Ekeke]

Scapegoating. He did OK playing out of position. I'd like to see who else was supposed to do better at left back against Foden. Amrabat would have been destroyed as would any other CB. Fodens goal was just a good goal. He was already inside. Not like he was on the wing. If lindelof let him get to the side of him he would have been more fkd.

Ok Mrs. Lindelof

 

[Lay]

The iceman they called him. I assume because he's a massive melt

 

[tomaldinho1]

What made me go nuts even more was AFTER he let Foden cut inside on his left foot with zero pressure and score; he immediately did the same thing again two mins later.

Instead of showing Foden away from goal on his weaker right foot he did the complete opposite of what he ‘should have done’. This is coming from an experienced international footballer.

I get he’s playing out of position but he’s played there before and surely they would have game planned to not let Foden cut inside. Furthermore is there no kid in the 18-21’s who’s a proper left back?

I don’t think his issue is he doesn’t anticipate the player cutting inside, he’s just not at the level required physically to do anything about it. Slow off the mark, weak and passive.

 

[JeffFromHK]

I just dislike him.
When he has the ball, he just randomly hoof it forward without pressure a few times, gifting the ball to the opposition.
When he is defending, he is darn passive and never go for a challenge.

 

[mattunited1978]

Atrocious player, slow, weak, cowardly, braindead.

Absolutely awful

 

[Kostov]

He has always been an absolutely average player. You can find a better CB at about 18 clubs in the league.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

In all our "square-pegs/round-holes" bullshit, I don't think there is anything worse then Lindelof at full-back. It is an unmitigated disaster in almost every single way.

I genuinely think you could put any single one of our outfield players there and they'd do, at worst, a similar job to what Lindelof is doing.

 

[Oranges038]

At fault for the first two goals imo. Soft as sin.

Doesn't really get much blame for the second, Casemiro gets done with a simple 1-2 and doesn't have the pace to turn and recover.

Lindelof gets across, but he's not quick enough to react and doesn't really commit to the block. But at that stage it's a 50/50 chance of stopping a goal anyway, even if he dives in Foden might not shoot and could roll it across to Haaland for a tap in anyway.

 

[tomaldinho1]

At fault for the first two goals imo. Soft as sin.

Second one isn’t him. Case too slow and Varane comes out which leaves the gap. I guess you could say if Lindelof was a top CB with pace he might have got across but it wouldn’t be his fault.

 

[Hughes35]

He's been a nothing player for years. I've nothing against slow players but he jus isn't savvy enough to compensate.

Genuine question, is there an easier defender to play against in the entire league ? Opposition but come of the pitch feeling fresh as a daisy.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

He's been a nothing player for years. I've nothing against slow players but he jus isn't savvy enough to compensate.

Genuine question, is there an easier defender to play against in the entire league ? Opposition but come of the pitch feeling fresh as a daisy.

He's the only defender I've ever seen that doesn't acutally like defending.

He just lets defending happen to him... usually begrudgingly.

 

[Hughes35]

He's the only defender I've ever seen that doesn't acutally like defending.

He just lets defending happen to him... usually begrudgingly.

Yea, exactly. There is nothing wrong with more "passive" defending and not relying on last ditch tackles etc. Lindelof is basically invisible though. Never makes life difficult, rarely even pops up with interceptions.

 

[Eugenius]

Feels like we've been here about a billion times. Goals where Lindelof is just vaguely in the vicinity not really affecting the play.

 

[Vidyoyo]

Only three years until he's due a testimonial. I personally can't wait

 

[arnie_ni]

Doesn't really get much blame for the second, Casemiro gets done with a simple 1-2 and doesn't have the pace to turn and recover.

Lindelof gets across, but he's not quick enough to react and doesn't really commit to the block. But at that stage it's a 50/50 chance of stopping a goal anyway, even if he dives in Foden might not shoot and could roll it across to Haaland for a tap in anyway.

Hes not quick enough across because he pauses and puts his hands behind his back even though they can be in natural position. Just sprint out and close him down.

 

[arnie_ni]

Second one isn’t him. Case too slow and Varane comes out which leaves the gap. I guess you could say if Lindelof was a top CB with pace he might have got across but it wouldn’t be his fault.

I think he should get across even with his pace. He seemed to pause and hesitate and put his hands behind his back instead of sprinting straight to him.

 

[Mike Smalling]

One of the primary punching bags on this site. It wasn't a good performance, but he is played woefully out of position in a makeshift backline. What's really to be expected?

Lindelöf is a fourth choice type centerback anyway. When are down to playin him left-back, you know we are screwed.

 

[tomaldinho1]

I think he should get across even with his pace. He seemed to pause and hesitate and put his hands behind his back instead of sprinting straight to him.

Ok not to quibble over this point, you surely agree it's not his 'fault' though.

Alvarez' movement is clever, Varane either has to go with him (I don't think leaving Haaland on Lindelof alone is wise but it's probably the best option) or, more importantly, Case has to do better here. By the time it gets to Lindelof's involvement he can't really win, Foden will just square it to Haaland if he does get further across in my opinion.

 

[Gandalf]

He's the only defender I've ever seen that doesn't acutally like defending.

He just lets defending happen to him... usually begrudgingly.

To offer some sort of defence because I am contrarian like that.

First and foremost he is a CB and nothing else, I have no idea where the utility player nonsense about him comes from and it should have been put to bed years ago.

As a CB he plays the position in the same way that a lot of continental defenders do, the general idea being that you position yourself to protect the space between the opponent and the goal but you do not commit to a tackle except as a last resort. This style of play is not ideal in the PL as we have seen with many others trained this way but it is not cowardly or weak as people here like to say, it is simply a way of playing the position that is more effective in other leagues. For reference Varane plays CB in an almost identical fashion with the one saving grace of having a little more pace than Victor.

Watching yesterday Victor was ok, not special, once he was moved back inside. He actually had the beating of Haaland in the air as demonstrated on a number of high balls, not surprising as statistically he has always been one of our best defenders against high balls, and he generally looked more composed and comfortable than anyone else in the back 4 when played as a CB.

I understand the urge to shower abuse on people after yesterday but blaming a CB who is not blessed with much pace for not being effective when played as a LB against the likes of Foden and KDB is like blaming the fly for hitting the windscreen. Far more blame rests with the coaching staff and the football setup for the squad construction that produced this situation. That a team with supposed CL pretensions currently is without a recognized LB or Striker available in the senior squad is farcical and was easily avoidable.

For Victor, I think he will be sold this summer. He is ultimately a perfectly serviceable 4th choice CB and I doubt that role in our team will be taken by a better player when we have gaps in the starting lineup to be addressed. In the end he will fall victim to the same FFP math as Fred, a player whose fee will show as almost pure profit if sold and who despite what many here think will actually have a market this summer unlike the real deadwood such as Sancho, Antony and Donny.

 

[criticalanalysis]

To offer some sort of defence because I am contrarian like that.

First and foremost he is a CB and nothing else, I have no idea where the utility player nonsense about him comes from and it should have been put to bed years ago.

As a CB he plays the position in the same way that a lot of continental defenders do, the general idea being that you position yourself to protect the space between the opponent and the goal but you do not commit to a tackle except as a last resort. This style of play is not ideal in the PL as we have seen with many others trained this way but it is not cowardly or weak as people here like to say, it is simply a way of playing the position that is more effective in other leagues. For reference Varane plays CB in an almost identical fashion with the one saving grace of having a little more pace than Victor.

Watching yesterday Victor was ok, not special, once he was moved back inside. He actually had the beating of Haaland in the air as demonstrated on a number of high balls, not surprising as statistically he has always been one of our best defenders against high balls, and he generally looked more composed and comfortable than anyone else in the back 4 when played as a CB.

I understand the urge to shower abuse on people after yesterday but blaming a CB who is not blessed with much pace for not being effective when played as a LB against the likes of Foden and KDB is like blaming the fly for hitting the windscreen. Far more blame rests with the coaching staff and the football setup for the squad construction that produced this situation. That a team with supposed CL pretensions currently is without a recognized LB or Striker available in the senior squad is farcical and was easily avoidable.

For Victor, I think he will be sold this summer. He is ultimately a perfectly serviceable 4th choice CB and I doubt that role in our team will be taken by a better player when we have gaps in the starting lineup to be addressed. In the end he will fall victim to the same FFP math as Fred, a player whose fee will show as almost pure profit if sold and who despite what many here think will actually have a market this summer unlike the real deadwood such as Sancho, Antony and Donny.

There's being contrarian and then there's talking in theory, which is in itself is fine. However, between the idea of one extreme, which you're presenting of 'playing in a continental style' + 'not tackling except as a last resort' to 'he's not a coward and that's just his style based on what we've seen' is a middle ground. The middle ground is that it's fine to be positionally smart and just 'cover' space but you can also get tight, make blocks, jostle /hassle and be proactive in your actual defensive involvement to not let the opposition dictate play. Plenty of Spanish and Italian defenders play in this way. This reasonable middle ground, which can be both 'continental' and effective is not being met. Lindelof is consistently passive, standoffish and minimally involved. That is a polite way of putting it. When you've seen this happen for 6-7 years straight then people call it as they see it and at this point in time it's no longer scapegoating. There's undeniable substantial proof of 100's of games. It's almost objectively as it can be for a subjective opinion to call him a coward and weak. In any other league, he would be still a weak defensive player.

As for your comment about him being the most composed, that's a massive disservice to Dalot (who dealt with both Doku and Foden very well on top on being our good ball carrier and passer), arguably our best outfield player let alone defender. Lindelof made two decent headers against Haaland, who whilst is a physical beast is not an aerial juggernaut and arguably his weakest attribute (relatively speaking) and then was pretty much invisible the rest of the game. Also if you really want to counter the point of he's not a LB, look up previous Etihad games where he played CB, iirc he also had a torrid time against Foden in the middle of the penalty box last year (and/or the previous). Point being, he's historically a bad player.

Bringing it back to my first comment, your basis of his decent performance as a CB, as a 'there won't be better 4th choice' imo is all based on theory just like the myth of Lindelof's defensive qualities. It's all paper attributes that rarely comes to fruition. Remember that 10 game spell last season where he put in some good performances and then people were heralding him as some underrated defender, 'best 3rd choice in the league, 'it was all Maguire's fault' (all actual posts) etc? It ended with that pathetic header attempt where he let the ball bounce in the first 10 seconds in the FA Cup final against City.

 

[Gandalf]

Bringing it back to my first comment, your basis of his decent performance as a CB, as a 'there won't be better 4th choice' imo is all based on theory just like the myth of Lindelof's defensive qualities. It's all paper attributes that rarely comes to fruition. Remember that 10 game spell last season where he put in some good performances and then people were heralding him as some underrated defender, 'best 3rd choice in the league, 'it was all Maguire's fault' (all actual posts) etc? It ended with that pathetic header attempt where he let the ball bounce in the first 10 seconds in the FA Cup final against City.

Not really disagreeing with your post at all, I don't think he is a great exponent of that continental style, just pointing out that it is how he was coached to play the game. I did forget Dalot so Mea Culpa on that one.

My point around 4th choice CB is simply that we are going to have a lot of holes to fill in the summer and Victor, much like Fred before him, will probably generate a fee of around 10M Euro at this point in his career. Considering we already need another CB as things stand and we are most likely losing Varane on a free I cannot imagine there would be much in the budget for filling positions like 4th CB etc. The squad revamp will take multiple windows and those depth positions won't get much attention in the meantime. For reference again, we moved on Fred and basically wasted his fee to loan Amrabat, a player we do not own and who is a very significant downgrade on Fred.

 

[criticalanalysis]

Not really disagreeing with your post at all, I don't think he is a great exponent of that continental style, just pointing out that it is how he was coached to play the game.

If he's not a 'great' or let's be honest even a good exponent of that style, then he's not that style. He's a bad defender, which is the whole point. For you to then contextualise 'oh he's just coached that way', you're basically absolving him of his own deficiencies. It's a bit bizarre.

Again I don't want to nitpick but Evans and Varane (apart from the second goal where the game became more open due to Lindelof letting Foden get the first goal) was miles better. So that's Dalot, Evan and Varane. From being our weakest link and worst player on the pitch to 'Lindelof as the most composed and comfortable out of the back four' is an insane leap. You're trying to argue the devil's advocate so much, you're reimagining the match. Don't do this to yourself, he's not worth it. At least try to be contrarian for Bruno or Rashford, who deserve most of the criticism they can get right now but have delivered a hundred times more compared to the Swede, who guides a runway for the opposition with his backtracking.

My point around 4th choice CB is simply that we are going to have a lot of holes to fill in the summer and Victor, much like Fred before him, will probably generate a fee of around 10M Euro at this point in his career. Considering we already need another CB as things stand and we are most likely losing Varane on a free I cannot imagine there would be much in the budget for filling positions like 4th CB etc. The squad revamp will take multiple windows and those depth positions won't get much attention in the meantime. For reference again, we moved on Fred and basically wasted his fee to loan Amrabat, a player we do not own and who is a very significant downgrade on Fred.

This is a point and view I can understand even if I entirely disagree with it. He's almost 30 years old, can't step up as a first teamer and when called upon as a 4th choice is 'ok' at best. He's an 'asset' with value, so we should sell and promote the youth like Kambwala or bring in a cheap young/old experience option like we have with Evans. There's plenty of upside in those as opposed to keeping a defender, who will be looking for his last big contract on fairly high wages and will be physically declining. Lindelof's 'best' quality all these years has been his availability (because he doesn't really do anything with any intensity) and yet these past 2-3 years has been out quite a lot relatively speaking (back issues and even this season quite a few niggles here and there).

Just because we fecked up with Fred/Amrabat, that doesn't mean we shouldn't try again. If I had to take the chance between a 10m euro option with our new/current transfer recruitment strategy or keeping Lindelof, I'd take the former 100%. At 'worst' we take a side step and get another Lindelof, at best we improve and raise the bottom level of the squad. Yes he is that bad.

 

[golden_blunder]

I blame him for not doing defensive basics for Foden’s first goal. I don’t blame him for the others. It was like a FIFA goal where the defenders don’t do what you want and the other guy scores