Daley Blind

[DonAndres]

This is the only role I could see us giving him (perhaps we want him as a precaution due to Adriano's condition). He's not worth it at the 22M euro price though.

Problem is, if he comes it'll be to play cb. There's no need for a lb/cdm. But cb's.

I understand that for practical reasons and the position he's rumored to be occupying, the transfer is a bad choice. I'm just speaking theoretically about how I'd like Blind to fit into our team if he were to come. If his price were to be a bit lower and we sold Adriano, I'd very happily welcome him here.

Having another LB isn't a necessity but with what he provides it'd be a notable improvement in our squad and tactical system. I like Alba's energy and speed but Blind is a uniquely promising option. Players like him (relying on intelligence) get better with age and his development has become exponential in the past year or two. His intuitive tactical understanding would make him a valuable part of our defensive system (not just in individual quality but with what he gives to the collective) and his presence in midfield while we have possession would help mitigate the loss of a dominant player like Xavi and gives more freedom to Iniesta.

In an ideal (fantasy) world I'd like our defense to be completely reorganized in terms of personnel. Adriano is far too fragile to be relied upon, Alves is mentally retired, and we continue to have a CB issue go unaddressed. Bring in someone like Mathieu/Musacchio, Blind, and a RB (too lazy to come up with a name) and our defense is well sorted. They are relatively cheap and entirely feasible. We don't particularly need one or two big money signings but improving the defense as a collective is important. Mathieu adds needed height/speed and composure while Blind gives us a very defensively secure option at LB. Are we gonna be like Atletico defensively? No, but we can definitely function well with it.

 

[Flavia]

I understand that for practical reasons and the position he's rumored to be occupying, the transfer is a bad choice. I'm just speaking theoretically about how I'd like Blind to fit into our team if he were to come. If his price were to be a bit lower and we sold Adriano, I'd very happily welcome him here.

Having another LB isn't a necessity but with what he provides it'd be a notable improvement in our squad and tactical system. I like Alba's energy and speed but Blind is a uniquely promising option. Players like him (relying on intelligence) get better with age and his development has become exponential in the past year or two. His intuitive tactical understanding would make him a valuable part of our defensive system (not just in individual quality but with what he gives to the collective) and his presence in midfield while we have possession would help mitigate the loss of a dominant player like Xavi and gives more freedom to Iniesta.

In an ideal (fantasy) world I'd like our defense to be completely reorganized in terms of personnel. Adriano is far too fragile to be relied upon, Alves is mentally retired, and we continue to have a CB issue go unaddressed. Bring in someone like Mathieu/Musacchio, Blind, and a RB (too lazy to come up with a name) and our defense is well sorted. They are relatively cheap and entirely feasible. We don't particularly need one or two big money signings but improving the defense as a collective is important. Mathieu adds needed height/speed and composure while Blind gives us a very defensively secure option at LB. Are we gonna be like Atletico defensively? No, but we can definitely function well with it.

Mathieu and Blind would be good, I'm just against Blind instead of Mathieu.

 

[spark]

Jesus the Blind hate is real . The guy is a scrub of a CB but overall as a footballer he's very intelligent and capable.

If he were to come to Barcelona, I'd love him as a utility player for the LB/CDM/CM positions. It's quite obvious how versatile and tactically intelligent he is, moving around and performing different roles on the pitch but doing a great supporting job in all of them. I've seen that he often divides opinions but he is a very unique player, not the standard overlapping fullback like Alba. Smart tackler, great at positioning and reading situations defensively, decent in the air for a fullback, physically assertive, and very technically sound. I guess if you wanted to give him a black-and-white label he'd be classified as a defensive fullback since he's not up by the corner flag all the time but he's much more involved buildup-wise and in midfield than Abidal for example.

What'd be interesting is that if he were a LB, he could move inside towards the midfield base to provide support with Busquets and Rakitic when Iniesta roams to the left wing or up to an attacking position. He's mobile and intelligent enough to be very involved in our midfield play and provide the extra man so that we don't look unbalanced. Of course he won't just walk in and bench Alba but he's better than Adriano and will provide solid competition (he's shown enough intelligence to keep on improving and becoming more dominant as he gets older).

I've missed having footballers that are versatile on the pitch and can move about in so many various roles (Xavi picking up balls in front of the defense at one moment and then popping up as a forward the next, Eto'o positioned in between CB's but then drifting toward the right when Messi cut in, Alves owning the entire right flank, etc.). We're rediscovering that now with the likes of Suarez and Rakitic, Blind could be another step in that positive direction. He was raised at our sister club and excelled tactically under two great managers (De Boer and LVG)

Though in reality I expect he'll go to United under LVG and rotate at LB with Shaw and eventually at DM when Carrick phases out.

In case you missed it, they are talking about him as potentially our only CB incorporation. The position they would be buying him for is one he cannot fulfill. Its basically the Alex Song signing all over again. Good in all the roles except the one Barca think hes capable of playing. When he inevitably ends up playing exclusively as a left back or defensive midfielder that would be a joint 40 million euros we spent on these two players to end up being squad players. That means a Song and a Blind could almost have gotten us a Javi Martinez or a Thiago Silva in 2011. How bonkers is that? Any other club in the world would find better ways to spend that kind of money when their CB situation is the black abyss.

 

[JamDav1982]

In case you missed it, they are talking about him as potentially our only CB incorporation. The position they would be buying him for is one he cannot fulfill. Its basically the Alex Song signing all over again. Good in all the roles except the one Barca think hes capable of playing. When he inevitably ends up playing exclusively as a left back or defensive midfielder that would be a joint 40 million euros we spent on these two players to end up being squad players. That means a Song and a Blind could almost have gotten us a Javi Martinez or a Thiago Silva in 2011. How bonkers is that? Any other club in the world would find better ways to spend that kind of money when their CB situation is the black abyss.

Who from the club has said he will primarily be signed as a CB?

I would guess he would be signed as cover in DM and at left back which would allow more room for Masch to cover as 4th CB. It would allow them to move on Song and Adriano and Song while only needing to sign one other centre back.

 

[DonAndres]

In case you missed it, they are talking about him as potentially our only CB incorporation. The position they would be buying him for is one he cannot fulfill. Its basically the Alex Song signing all over again. Good in all the roles except the one Barca think hes capable of playing. When he inevitably ends up playing exclusively as a left back or defensive midfielder that would be a joint 40 million euros we spent on these two players to end up being squad players. That means a Song and a Blind could almost have gotten us a Javi Martinez or a Thiago Silva in 2011. How bonkers is that? Any other club in the world would find better ways to spend that kind of money when their CB situation is the black abyss.

In case you missed it, I said my post was talking more about the theoretical side of things . I never disagreed with the people saying he can't play CB or that he shouldn't come for that role. I just disagreed with the ones who call him 'shit' and hypothesized how we might be able to fit him in if he did come. I don't expect what I said in my post to happen, it's just all speculation and discussion. People judge him as a player way too harshly because of the manner in which he's been linked to us (same with Cuadrado). Both are good footballers, just not good at the roles they'd allegedly be fulfilling here if we are to believe the media.

 

[KingMessi]

I would guess he would be signed as cover in DM and at left back which would allow more room for Masch to cover as 4th CB. It would allow them to move on Song and Adriano and Song while only needing to sign one other centre back.

When you take into consideration Adriano's heart condition, it's not totally bizarre to think that the club might sign Blind as a precautionary replacement for him. And if Blind can play passes to Suarez, like the one he made to assist RVP's flying Dutchman goal, he could be a hit.

 

[JamDav1982]

When you take into consideration Adriano's heart condition, it's not totally bizarre to think that the club might sign Blind as a precautionary replacement for him. And if Blind can play passes to Suarez, like the one he made to assist RVP's flying Dutchman goal, he could be a hit.

Blind is a better left back than Alba for me, wont have the same pace going forward but even them he has more ability on the ball.

Personally think Alba is a big weak link and if Blind arrives could easily see him over taking Alba in the pecking order.

 

[Lionheart]

Guess it sucks being Daily Blind

 

[Blaugrana Bull]

Alba is a beast. I am really glad we have this guy in our squad.
Please do not compare Blind to him.

 

[Catorce]

Blind is a better left back than Alba for me, wont have the same pace going forward but even them he has more ability on the ball.

Personally think Alba is a big weak link and if Blind arrives could easily see him over taking Alba in the pecking order.

The big weak link isn't Alba or even Alves (although he can't fucking cross), but the fact we play with 2 wing backs high up and don't play it well tactically. Play with 2 and use a double pivot/2CDMs, play one and get over the problems of being overexposed at the back.

Blind as CB: ridiculous idea, seen him play his entire career at Ajax and can tell you he is a very versatile and promising player. But NOT a CB, that's for sure.

 

[KingMessi]

The big weak link isn't Alba or even Alves (although he can't fucking cross), but the fact we play with 2 wing backs high up and don't play it well tactically. Play with 2 and use a double pivot/2CDMs, play one and get over the problems of being overexposed at the back.

Blind as CB: ridiculous idea, seen him play his entire career at Ajax and can tell you he is a very versatile and promising player. But NOT a CB, that's for sure.

I'd get Blind to sub in for both CDM and LB. That way we can move Adriano to be sub rightback, let Alves leave, and sell Song.

 

[Xanian]

Blind is a better left back than Alba for me, wont have the same pace going forward but even them he has more ability on the ball.

Personally think Alba is a big weak link and if Blind arrives could easily see him over taking Alba in the pecking order.

Blind had 3 assists in the World Cup for Netherlands. But his overall style of play is not as attacking as Alba's. Most of the time he passes the ball back to the cb, though it could have been all part of Van Gaal's game plan. Defensively he is stronger than Alba, I will give you that. But you will need a workhorse in midfield to make up for his deficiencies going up the left side because Neymar does not track back so much. I think Rakitic has that covered, though.

 

[Gohan]

Blind is a better left back than Alba for me, wont have the same pace going forward but even them he has more ability on the ball.

Personally think Alba is a big weak link and if Blind arrives could easily see him over taking Alba in the pecking order.

This is treason of the highest order!

 

[Martindn]

Glad to see he is playing CM for a change with Holland, been quite poor at lb for us. Should keep him in CM alongside Carrick with how well he holds the ball while being composed with it. I didn't watch the game how was he? How rated is he by everyone on here?

Spoiler: Stats

If you switch to per 90 he ends up with the highest total score of 32.00 a game, factors out the minute equality i think?. How did madrid get Kroos so cheap though ridiculous

Spoiler: St

I could have sworn he had a thread before, sorry in advance for bumping old one if thats the case

 

[Falcao]

He hasn't been poor at LB for United at all, he's done well. Plenty said before the Spurs game that Townsend and Walker would destroy him, then in the next game against Liverpool that Sterling would do the same. They all did nothing. Blind's intelligence, technique and general class shone through.

He played in midfield yesterday and had a good game, afterwards Hiddink called him a leader. Against Turkey on Friday he played LB and was probably Holland's best player in an abject team display. For £14million he has been a bargain and is only going to improve.