Victor Lindelof

[CaajScot]

Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof keen to build on Old Trafford debut

September 13, 2017

Victor Lindelof is confident of proving his worth at Manchester United after stepping out at Old Trafford for the first time.

United acted quickly to make the long-standing defensive target Jose Mourinho's first summer signing, paying Benfica an initial 35million euros (£30.75million) for the Sweden international's services.

Lindelof could cost a further 10million euros in add-ons, although if those clauses are achieved then the centre-back will likely have proved good value.

Many expected the composed 23-year-old defender to slot straight into United's defence, but Mourinho is easing him in to help his adaptation to the rigours of English football, much like Henrikh Mkhitaryan last term.

Having been reduced to a watching brief since the UEFA Super Cup, Tuesday's Champions League opener against Basle was Lindelof's first taste of playing at Old Trafford - a night the Swede will not only cherish but build on.

"I think it was a very good debut," Lindelof said after the 3-0 win.

"To play my first match at Old Trafford is something I have really waited for. It felt really good.

"I played my own game and did what I was told to do on the pitch.

"Now I'm going to leave the match for a while and then watch the replay to see if there's anything that I could have done better.

"I feel pretty confident and know what I'm able to do."

Mourinho plans to revert to the centre-back pairing of Eric Bailly and Phil Jones for Sunday's Premier League clash with Everton, but Lindelof is set to get another run out against Burton in the Carabao Cup next week.

Asked if he was aware of Mourinho's comments on his adaptation to Premier League life, the defender said: "I have noticed what's been written, but it's not something that I have focused on.

"I try to focus on my game and add as much as I can to the team.

"(The defensive competition) feels good. They are all good players and I think it's easy to play with them all.

"We're going to play the system the manager thinks is the best. I'm used to playing with four at the back, but if Mourinho wants to play with five or three, that's no problem at all."

Lindelof does not expect Paul Pogba's absence to prove too much of a problem either.

"It's tough to lose such a good player," he said after the midfielder limped off with a hamstring injury against Basle. "But we have good players who can cover for him."

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/manchester-united-defender-victor-lindelof-keen-to-build-on-old-trafford-debut-36128361.html

[Deleted]

So will he replace Jones in the future when he adapts to the PL? I don't understand quite this situation cause Baily-Jones looks pretty good and this is very risky to break this duet.

[caino]

Sept 13, 2017 14:42:30 GMT @hambley said:

So will he replace Jones in the future when he adapts to the PL? I don't understand quite this situation cause Baily-Jones looks pretty good and this is very risky to break this duet.

the only thing that will break is Jones. that's when Lindelof will play and that's why he has been brought in. hes one for the future.

[CaajScot]

Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof says he has a "good dialogue" with manager Jose Mourinho, despite not having yet made his Premier League debut. (Expressen - in Swedish)

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/gossip

www.expressen.se/sport/fotboll/landslaget/varfor-skulle-jag-gora-det/

[Deleted]

I do find it odd that he's not really playing.

[Deleted]

www.espn.co.uk/football/club/manchester-united/360/blog/post/3240914/victor-lindelof-deserves-support-as-he-adjusts-to-life-at-manchester-united

Victor Lindelof, who was at fault for Huddersfield Town's second goal on Saturday, isn't the first Manchester United player to have an inauspicious start to his Old Trafford career, and he won't be the last.

Legendary defenders Gary Pallister, Nemanja Vidic, Jaap Stam and Patrice Evra all struggled to adapt to a new style of football in a new country. Goalkeeper David De Gea had a rough first six months, only to come good with a great game at Chelsea, just as a majority of fans -- rather than a minority of ultra-critics -- were starting to seriously question him.

Remember that Marcos Rojo was a favourite to be sold by armchair managers at the start of last season, yet he went on to establish himself as a player of United quality. Marouane Fellaini was written off by many people, who are not accountable for their words. He's also become an important player.

Lindelof might succeed at United, he might not. For all the aforementioned players who went on to have great careers, there are plenty who started poorly and, for a variety of reasons, never really got going. That's football; it's the same at every club.

Signing players, no matter how much they've been scouted, is not an exact science. Do you think Real Madrid are happy with how James Rodriguez worked out? Or Barcelona regarding Arda Turan? Both had loftier reputations than Lindelof at Benfica, a club with a track record of selling quality.

In recent years at United, hopes for Memphis Depay, Shinji Kagawa, Angel Di Maria, Morgan Schneiderlin and many more were not realised. Players suspected Schneiderlin wasn't better than others who'd been sold, such as Darren Fletcher.

Professionals see what their peers are made of every single day; they can't say it publicly any more than you can come out and criticise one of your own colleagues, but word gets out and Schneiderlin wasn't the only one found wanting among United's 2015 arrivals. Who expected Bastian Schweinsteiger to be ineffective? Though perhaps that had more to do with Louis van Gaal's anti-football?

There are respected voices inside Old Trafford, who think Axel Tuanzebe was a better fit for central defence than Lindelof, but the voice that matters belongs to Jose Mourinho. He lives by the decisions he makes and has got a better record in the transfer market than most.

A few months making Lindelof better -- mentally and physically -- will do the player no harm. Further, while he's hardly shone, he's not had a stinker in the three Champions League games that's he's played, all of which United have won. He's not playing regularly in the league because his manager doesn't think he's better than other players, but injuries mean he's now getting minutes.

Lindelof's howler at Huddersfield looked as awkward as when Gerard Pique flung himself at a ball and missed vs. Bolton a decade ago. That also brought defeat at an unfashionable neighbor and I heard fans saying he didn't look "United quality" as they left the away end; Pique now has 27 trophies, including all the big ones for club and country. That's more than Manchester City have won in their entire history.

So a little patience is required with Lindelof, a year to settle into his new life. The criticism he's getting now from fans aghast that he might have a few bad games can make him stronger, but it could get worse before it gets better. Vidic and Evra, for example, started so poorly that they were sent to play for the reserves at Blackburn.

"We played 45 minutes when Rene Muelensteen, the manager, took us off saying: 'Enough,'" said Vidic. "Patrice and I showered and said: 'What have we done coming here?' People were saying: 'Who are these two guys? If they can't play for the reserves, how can they play for the first team?' It was a difficult time, but we both worked hard, improved and established ourselves. It was a lesson for us that start. You have to work hard in life. Patrice and I had a tough beginning in Manchester. We were not ready to play for United, both physically and in terms of experience in England. We struggled in training."

Evra was staying in a hotel with his wife -- neither spoke English -- and 2-month old son. His first game was in the Manchester derby at City. He lasted 45 minutes and United were beaten 4-1; talk about being thrown in at the deep end.

Gary Pallister had a similarly uninspired start after a big-money move from Middlesbrough in 1989: "I'd just joined and I wanted the fans on my side and losing at home to Norwich wasn't best way to do it. But I was blamed for a goal which wasn't my fault."

A few weeks later, United lost 5-1 to City at Maine Road.

"The roof fell in," said Pallister, "We actually started that game really well, playing lovely football. Then everything City hit went in. I didn't have the best of games and knew that I should have done better. To lose like that to City wasn't good enough and I'd say it was the lowest point in my whole career."

Pallister was the most expensive player in Britain at the time and drove back to Middlesbrough to be with his family.

"Thank God I had them around me," he said. "I sought solace at home that weekend, but I was confronted with a menacing situation when I returned to training at The Cliff on Monday. There was no security and fans were free to wander in. When I walked back to my car after training, three or four big United fans were waiting for me. As I moved towards my car, they approached me. They didn't look like they wanted an autograph. Instead, they told me that I wasn't fit to wear the shirt, that United shouldn't have sold Paul McGrath and that I was a f---ing disgrace. It was very intimidating. I said nothing. What could I say? We'd just been whopped by City. A few of the other players got abuse from the same lads. ... With all the security at Carrington, players now wouldn't believe that was possible, but it was a very real threat."

The world has changed and United's current squad would never face such a situation at security-heavy Carrington. The only threats Lindelof is likely to get are from faceless online critics, but he's under pressure all the same. At Benfica he was known by teammates as "Ice Man" for his ability to stay cool. He'll need that quality in the weeks and months ahead.

[caino]

brilliant article. covers everything about the situation

[.]

Lindelof has really improved immensely over the last few games.

I think Stewart was saying a while back that there's definitely a player in there. I'd most certainly persevere with him.

[caino]

Nov 8, 2018 10:18:27 GMT . said:

Lindelof has really improved immensely over the last few games.

I think Stewart was saying a while back that there's definitely a player in there. I'd most certainly persevere with him.

the most likely to ever progress and be a top player over any CB we have.

theres a cracking photo of him online and he looks like hes starting to become a man

[bushy1987]

The 1 thing I like about lindelof is he always looks to play it out from the back and keep it on the deck, yeah he will get caught out a few times but that is definitely the way we should be looking at playing

[caino]

considering he marked Ronaldo twice. and he did score both times. he done nothing wrong and he made some quality clearances. he also seams to be the CB with the most intelligence. hes far from being a great but theres signs he can become a very good player

[Rustin Cohle]

I still hold hope that Bailly and Lindelof could be the next Vidic and Ferdinand (though probably not quite as good). There's a very long way to go, but both are very talented and Lindelof has been showing he could be well on his way to being a great CB.

[weetomsligaments]

Nov 8, 2018 14:26:52 GMT Rustin Cohle said:

I still hold hope that Bailly and Lindelof could be the next Vidic and Ferdinand (though probably not quite as good). There's a very long way to go, but both are very talented and Lindelof has been showing he could be well on his way to being a great CB.

Once the game slows down for him, Lindelof will be a solid 7-8/10 defender. He is physically weak above the waist, so was Dave, so I expect next season for him to shore that part up.

The problem all along with Lindelof was his feet. Too slow on the turn and not enough balance to extend his influence beyond his shoulders. If he can read the game better, his influence will start to stretch and then we will see a quality CB each time out.

[juanveron]

Nov 8, 2018 14:26:52 GMT Rustin Cohle said:

I still hold hope that Bailly and Lindelof could be the next Vidic and Ferdinand (though probably not quite as good). There's a very long way to go, but both are very talented and Lindelof has been showing he could be well on his way to being a great CB.

I still think Bailly is a beast of CB. 

Problem is, we're so shaky in the center it's hard to give him game time to build back his confidence. This is probably where a real level-headed, world-class CB would come in handy - whether we'll pair him with Lindelof or with Bailly we'll still have a lot more stability. 

[Sméagol]