Daley Blind

Originally Posted by Gruber

Top player, some daft £#%&!ing posts here

Have a read of the match day thread, first few pages, fill your boots

Originally Posted by Ethers

At what? Stopping players running past him? Very harsh, Chelsea are clearly an athletic team and have the edge there. He'd have to start fouling players to stop them going past him, and not sure giving away free kicks is a great tactic against Chelsea. For all the times they supposedly ghosted past him, they didn't do a lot with it. He also made a number of good interceptions, could have won a couple more tackles though.

On the ball he's been excellent in every game. Apparently his technique was going to fall apart when he came under pressure against the top teams, didn't see any evidence of that today though against what is apparently the best midfield in the league.

Exactly.

He's been a brilliant addition imo. If we can get Vidal or Khedira in, a 3 of Blind, Herrera and one of those 2 brilliant bastards would be a vast improvement on the dross we have bee served up over the past few years in terms of the midfield.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

They ran past him with ease all day. Want to like the lad, but we can do better in that role.

:shakehead:

Originally Posted by Ethers

At what? Stopping players running past him? Very harsh, Chelsea are clearly an athletic team and have the edge there. He'd have to start fouling players to stop them going past him, and not sure giving away free kicks is a great tactic against Chelsea. For all the times they supposedly ghosted past him, they didn't do a lot with it. He also made a number of good interceptions, could have won a couple more tackles though.

On the ball he's been excellent in every game. Apparently his technique was going to fall apart when he came under pressure against the top teams, didn't see any evidence of that today though against what is apparently the best midfield in the league.

I thought he struggled physically on several occasions. What I would say is that he didn't get much help today. Fellaini wants to make runs forward and doesn't play like a proper central midfielder. I have doubts about Blind but it's probably harsh to write him off already. He needs to have a better structure around him. That immobility I believe will always be a weakness, but the team should get better at protecting it.

His passing, particularly short, and tactical play is very good. I still think Carrick probably has a better passing range, mind.

Originally Posted by Gruber

Top player, some daft £#%&!ing posts here

New to Fred, pol?

One things for sure we'd be £#%&!ed without him so far this season with Carrick injuried

At least now we have someone who can play that holding role when Carrick isn't there otherwise it might have been Anderson in there

Would like to see a midfield with Carrick holding and Blind & Herrea either side of him in box to box roles
Might give a better platform and more freedom for a fluid 3 in attack
Not enough movement in attack for me. Players just staying rigidedly in their positions

Blind getting box to box would take us into injury time

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

I thought he struggled physically on several occasions. What I would say is that he didn't get much help today. Fellaini wants to make runs forward and doesn't play like a proper central midfielder. I have doubts about Blind but it's probably harsh to write him off already. He needs to have a better structure around him. That immobility I believe will always be a weakness, but the team should get better at protecting it.

His passing, particularly short, and tactical play is very good. I still think Carrick probably has a better passing range, mind.

Fair assessment.

Carrick definitely has the better passing range, but what I like about Blind with the ball is he seems to recognise his limitations and doesn't seek to force it. He's well aware that other players are more likely to come up with the killer pass. If there's nothing on he's happy to make the easy pass to someone else. But at the same time he doesn't have the look of someone desperate to get rid of the ball either, he's very cool and calm with it.

I would prefer Carrick in the 'box to box' role tbh, depending on how he looks after his lay off. Having Blind as the sitting player should give him a bit more freedom in the attacking/creative side of his game, which has been lacking recently imo.

At the same time, having a player with Carrick's defensive ability playing just ahead of him should give Blind a bit more protection, and not leave him looking quite as exposed at times.

Originally Posted by Ethers

Fair assessment.

Carrick definitely has the better passing range, but what I like about Blind with the ball is he seems to recognise his limitations and doesn't seek to force it. He's well aware that other players are more likely to come up with the killer pass. If there's nothing on he's happy to make the easy pass to someone else. But at the same time he doesn't have the look of someone desperate to get rid of the ball either, he's very cool and calm with it.

I like that he's always available for a pass, even if a lot of the time players ignore him and pump it long.

His movement is very intelligent. He's not quick or physically dominant but the more he plays in this country, the better he'll read the game and adapt to the manic nature of it.

Sweet left foot strike on him as well.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

I like that he's always available for a pass, even if a lot of the time players ignore him and pump it long.

His movement is very intelligent. He's not quick or physically dominant but the more he plays in this country, the better he'll read the game and adapt to the manic nature of it.

Sweet left foot strike on him as well.

nicely summed up.

always available. does the right thing 99.9% of the time too. We've needed someone like him a while.

people do remember the Anderson, Cleverley, Jones £#%&! fest of last year right?

Originally Posted by red in cumbria

New to Fred, pol?

feels like it at times

Loved watching him yesterday. Made himself available to smalling at one point who obviously went for the simple ball to RvP. Sorry, Cahill

Simple footballer, does the right thing, the kids gonna be a star for us

Originally Posted by irk

He played some balls five yards sideways and watched the opposition run past him with aplomb.

He's a sage's delight. One of those players that allows people to claim superior knowledge of the game if you can't see what he does.

He does £#%&! all.

Take him out of the team yesterday and Chelsea likely thrash us.

Tidy on the ball, but extremely slow, which was extremely evident yesterday.

Would be tempted to play Blind and Carrick together, with Herrera playing further forward.

I think Herrera has the ability to impact the game in the final third. Without being anonymous as Mata so often is.

Originally Posted by Coracao

Tidy on the ball, but extremely slow, which was extremely evident yesterday.

Would be tempted to play Blind and Carrick together, with Herrera playing further forward.

I think Herrera has the ability to impact the game in the final third. Without being anonymous as Mata so often is.

Can't disagree with much of this - looking like Mata's goose is cooked, sadly.

Originally Posted by Jammy Dodger

Take him out of the team yesterday and Chelsea likely thrash us.

What £#%&!ing planet are you on?

jamie carragher analysing just how big a role he plays for us in terms of movement

Originally Posted by Sparky***

jamie carragher analysing just how big a role he plays for us in terms of movement

Yep. Was spot on then tbf to the scouse @#%&!.

Originally Posted by Fatboy Shrek

What £#%&!ing planet are you on?

The planet where united have usually struggled defensively when they don't have a player like blind or carrick sat in front of the back four. That position is pivotal in the football van gaal likes to play. As well as shielding the back four, he's the link from defence to attack and dictates the tempo and rhythm of united's play.