Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal clearly prizes players who can show versatility. Footballers who can play in several roles for the team to equally good effect.
Angel di Maria is certainly one of those. Marcus Rojo is another who could play centre back, left-fullback or even on the wing. And another new signing, Daley Blind, has shown that he can do a great job on the left side of defence or in midfield.
But his old manager Frank De Boer reckons that the player himself prefers to play in the engine room.
“He started as a full-back but I think now he prefers to be a controlling midfielder. I think he’ll have two or three options [at United] — either at wing-back or on the left in a central midfield pairing.
It leads us to deduce that, while Michael Carrick still has an important part to play in the team, Blind has been signed as the ultimate successor to the brilliant Englishman.
And their games have similar virtues. They are both extremely composed on the ball and always look as if they have time in possession. They both look unflappable and both have great passing range. And they are both unspectacular yet vital to the team – proper unsung heroes.
Daley Blind has good energy and mobility and he will shield the back four in a way which will make the defence much more solid. He’s got a great football brain which would surely best be deployed in the hub of the team, where he is central to the action.
He may drop back at times to play on the left side of defence when injuries occur. But Michael Carrick too could become one of the three men in the centre of defence at times this season, playing in the same manner as Steven Gerrard did at times for Liverpool in the last campaign. So the inclusion of one doesn’t necessarily mean the exclusion of the other.
At 33 time is not on Carrick’s side and Blind (24) looks to us like the natural successor to the metronomic Manchester United star.
Let’s see some of Blind’s highlights before his much anticipated debut this weekend. Manchester United fans: can Blind eventually fill the boots of Carrick?
Mohamed sheriff
Sep 14, 2014 at 10:34 am
I want van gaal to change the formation of the team. The formation thats will be better is 4-4-2.
Alan
Sep 14, 2014 at 11:08 am
Why when the old one was crap? Utd throwing money around since 1878.
Fatai Olanfe
Sep 14, 2014 at 1:19 pm
Time will tell. Though his qualities has been highlighted, most Man Utd fans are yet to see much of him, but as the season progresses, these attributes will be seen and a full assesment can be made. But, that tendency can be noticed, by proving himself.