Looking Good : The Daley Blind Thread

He clearly resents not being able to play anymore. Kind of explains why he was so quiet as a player. He was content. Now he isn't, and he can't stop.

 

After sadly watching Schneiderlin looking completely lost in today's game vs Feyenoord, there is absolutely no doubt for me that I would like to see Blind being played in midfield in the holding role.
It was justone game, but Schneiderlin's play only served as a reminder that he's not a 6, never has been and there is nothing to lose in going with a guy actually suited for the position.

 

@Gnome

 

Was outstanding yesterday.

Naturally, I've heard from my corporeal tormentors that Shaw should be dropped for Blind. Sigh. But some in the media are on this too:

http://metro.co.uk/2016/09/25/manch...ad-of-luke-shaw-explains-danny-mills-6151306/

The obvious solution going forward is to play Blind in midfield in a 433. Pogba and Herrera in midfield. Shaw at left back. Smalling and Bailly at CB. I'm still not completely sold on Valencia at RB but he's acquitted himself well enough to make this a non-issue.

 

Nope.

People are praising Blind because of his offensive impact against Leicester when he was completely unchallenged defensively. It was an aberration. Put him in midfield at #6 and you lose this offensive impact and he will not displace Pogba on the left of a midfield trio.

Blind is a squad player and a backup.

 

Teso is an idiot.

 

None of that post deals with the issues I have raised. The problem we have is that Blind is granted a free pass by certain people solely because he was being used out of position in central defence. These people are incapable of maturely discussing his weaknesses and the impact these have on his utilisation in this team.

That is why you get outlandish superlatives used about his Leicester performance when in reality he was not challenged defensively and therefore had free reign to get forward. These people then mistakenly equate that impact to his normal level and ignorantly attempt to claim it will be replicated should he be moved to midfield with zero thought as to why it would simply not be possible.

 

Blind made some excellent runs yesterday. From fullback it is rarely (for me) about dribbling or even pace in attack. It is about timing and balance. Blind was able to exploit space quite well, timing his runs so that he arrived and got the pass before the defense reacted so he could hit an early cross.

Shaw could learn a lot from him.

 

It is far easier to make forward runs from lateral defence when there is absolutely zero threat against you on the flank. Blind did not need to even think about opponents getting in behind him which negated his chronic lack of recovery speed. Leicester were very poor at counter-attacking against us. It was so bad I think they were mistakenly given placebos.

 

To be fair though, it's not like it's the first time we've seen Blind put great performances at LB. He did so consistently at the end of his first season with us when Van Gaal turned to him, so from that perspective alone, it's kind of hard to buy the aberration argument. Mahrez had a poor game, granted, yet it still can't take away from the good performance Blind put on yesterday.

 

Blind in lateral defence is fine in a 4-3-3 when you have a central midfielder on his side who can cover and be available to create passing triangles to bypass opponents.

Blind in midfield is fine when he is the left-sided central midfielder with someone behind him at #6.

However Shaw is the better left-back due to his speed and Pogba is clearly the better left-sided central midfielder. That leaves Blind as a back-up which is his level at a club of this size.

 

DB has obvious physical weakness that we have discussed at length, but good anticipation, delivery and passing also discussed before.

So CB cover when non-elite teams play one up, LB cover when Shaw not available / teams do not have a pacy winger.

Unkown recently at 6 but would be interesting to see him there.

As an 8 ahead of a 6, given Pogba is inverted on the left could consider Blind as inverted right-sided 8. He has shown in some games he can finish.

 

Credit where it is due, DB kept his flank quiet. He made tackles and interceptions. There were attempts to lay the ball down his flank, I'd say more so than the opposite wing, but they found no joy. It was more impressive because Pogba was the covering midfielder which meant there wasn't really any cover.

 

Manchester United defender Daley Blind is becoming undroppable for Jose Mourinho
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester-united-news-daley-blind-11935620

 

Have a good one, @BlindDaley! pic.twitter.com/RhL5lEuvz9

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) March 9, 2017

 

Over achiever.

Happy to have him.

 

Looks like @BlindDaley has made a new friend! 🐬

More holiday pics from players: https://t.co/UdHjQnEIlX pic.twitter.com/jNg18Fydu3

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) June 24, 2017

 

United has picked up the options on Blind, AY (and Sam Johnstone), keeping all 3 players until summer 2019.

www.skysports.com/football/news/11667/11271282/manchester-united-extend-daley-blind-and-ashley-young-deals-until-summer-of-2019

Now Woodward needs to turn his attention toward Martial and Rojo and get those deals done next.

 

Blind on his relationship with Mourinho and his future at United.

www.goal.com/en/news/blind-ignoring-man-utd-exit-talk-despite-threat-of-summer/18d1kly586k051h9hbdhjeop1h

 

Back to Ajax for 14-18.5M according to report on bbc

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44831362

 

Good for him. Not a Jose player/system.

EDIT: Still better than Smalling. He is an actual footballer.

 

Not sure if it's common for clubs to insert options for an extra year to contracts, but it seems to have become common practice for us under Woodward and frankly, it's a great idea.
It gives the club options (no pun intended), which is always a good thing. Had there been no such clause on Blind's contract for example, we would have sold him on the cheap. Instead, we broke even, even standing to make a small profit, if we get the add ons that are included in the deal.

 

Decent business. Daley is a proper professional and Ajax will be happy to have him back.