Nani will reignite our charge to the title

Raees

I do for the short-term we do have to use nani especially in europe if we are going to go 4-3-3. He may not have end product but just his presence and pace will make the team alot more balanced.

In a 4-4-2 him on the left and Valencia on the right is also a good option and again provides the team with sufficient quality and flair.

I can see him making a decent impact if allowed to.

Snow

Would be great that one of the 11 starters would be there simply because of his set pieces taking ability. We get so many corners and make nothing of them. Our free kicks aren't anything to brag about either a side from the one or two Giggs free-kicks each year. Since our left wing has been pretty useless anyways this season I want Nani to start, even if it were only for his abilities to take corners.

Pogue Mahone

Erm... Giggs can play left wing.

Snow

And he can't take corners. Rarely puts it over the first defender and his passing free-kicks aren't special. They are the same as his corners.

Epic

Nani need to pop up on the team sheet to do all that, though.

Pogue Mahone

He takes corners as well, if not better, than Nani.

In fact he does everything Nani does a lot better than Nani. Just a shame he's at an age where he can't be expected to keep putting in peak performances for more than a handful of consecutive games.

Snow

I don't know what games you are watching. Giggs is not good at taking corners. Last game against Birmingham he put three in a row straight to the head of the first defender. I would estimate he does that at least in 1 of every 2 corners. If he were any good at corners his assists would be more. Just watch him. The Giggs spell he has put on you will break if you look for it.

Pogue Mahone

He's got more assists than any other player in our team this season.

adexkola

I don't know what games you have been watching, but Giggs' corners are utter shit.

Raees

Giggs is decent at taking corners, I don't think nani is that great from set-pieces either. I want to see Nani due to his potential goal threat and pace and Giggsy utilised more in the second half of games where he is generally more effective.

Pogue Mahone

The same games as you. Can't say I'm hugely surprised we have a difference of opinion mind you.

Giggs' corners aren't amazing but they're good enough and are easily as good as anyone else in the squad.

davisjw

We need him to be productive first, than he can light up the EPL. Basics Nani, keep to basics.

And he scores fantastic goals but it takes at least 10 shockers to get that one.

Scholesy

If Fergie gave Nani a run of 6-7 games on the trot, then he may well spark a new life into us I believe.

The probability of Fergie giving him these games is zero...

Name Changed

Funny. Wishful thinking.

Shimo

No one has been taking good corners and as much as I like Nani, Giggs definitely takes the better one at this time. But, for corners it's more than the people that take them - it's just our general approach of how to attack into the box, it is pathetic.

Aerially we strike little fear into opponents. Watching the Birmingham game, a friend had popped in (dipper supporter) mid game and when we got a corner, I told him it might as well be a TK taking a goal kick, we aren't going to do anything with it and that was when Giggs had come on.

The one thing that Nani does provide IMO that we lack a lot of from the loss of Ronaldo is getting free kicks in dangerous areas. Right now the person most likely to win us one is Paddy. Nani on the field usually can get us 1 or 2 a game. If that means we have to endure him rolling around the ground and having a moan so be it but, till someone else can step and be that threat, to be the person other teams end up chopping down, we could use him on the pitch.

I've got to wonder if he has learned not from Giggs but, Valencia on how to approach the game. I think Giggs is in a different mold of winger from either of them at this stage. The Wolfsburg game I thought maybe he had, he was more thoughtful with the ball and not just running down endless alleys.

We'll see the next time he gets a game for us, perhaps a light has gone off in his head and thought, hey if I just play like Valencia, simple keep possession, get to the byline and look up and put a cross in if it's there or pull it back otherwise - then maybe I can keep my place week in and week out. Just KISS ... keep it simple stupid.

If he can do the same thing on the left as Valencia - and IMO he has more ability, he can really balance us out.

SharkyMcShark

But why would he give Nani 7 games in a row when he could give Modric 7 in a row?

KingMinger22

Re: Thread title



Absolutely no chance.

Pogue Mahone

*sigh*

Tell me, how many players (other than our back four/keeper) in our squad have started 6-7 games in a row over the last few seasons?

Once you've come up with that (very short) list, take a moment to think about WHY they have and why Nani hasn't.

SharkyMcShark

I can think of 3 players over the last few seasons that have started 7 in a row (this is off the top of my head, without checking stats or anything)

Rooney
Ronaldo
Evra

Van Der Sar prior to this season.

RedDevilCanuck

We have been crap lately.

Changes are needed.

Play Nani.

Has been shit lately but he actually shoots, can beat his man easily and has great pace.

I prefer Giggsy in the middle anyway.

Come on Nani, this is a chance to nail down that left side.

Nani and Valencia on the wings with Evra and Rafael as support gives us tonns of skill, pace, and width.

The_Midfielder

Keep Dreaming..

kietotheworld

Vidic had about 10 last season.

Scholesy

I did say the probabilty was 0

phelans shorts

A) no he isn't
B) fair enough
C) so Valencia is playing so well because he's simple? I.E. No he isn't

nani is very much an enigma, and one that we cannot afford to give a run with nothing to show for it

peterstorey

Na na na na, ni ni ni ni. Hey, hey goodbye.

Shimo

Because SAF believes it is a squad game. It would be great if we had 11 players that were all undroppable types that never got hurt or lost form but, for the most part we've been so competitive because of our squad game.

Certainly Nani hasn't done anything to make him undroppable - very few have (On current form I don't think Rooney should be undroppable) but, for Nani a run of 6 or 7 games straight has every chance of a player building consistency and improve. Pre-season run gave me at least a good idea that he does have the capacity to raise his game if he is playing week in and week out.

He's never been given the same chance Valencia has got on the right. Till he gets that same chance and not the "numerous chances" bandied around of 15 min here, 30 min there and 1 or 2 games here spread through a season

Most people think he has the ability, so it's not just a question why not give any Tom, Dick or Harry a run to prove themselves.

Lots of talk about how much we rotate our squad and how it affects our team performances, why is it different for individuals. Good players coming back from injury (or sometimes a bad run of form) are said to need to play their way back into form, so it's not unreasonable to expect that something similar needs to happen for Nani to spark into life?

For me it will always be a question about how much better can he do with a solid run of games. Most likely though that question will be answered when he moves to another club.

RonaldoVII

Valencia has as many tricks as an a4 piece of white paper. That isn't to say he isn't on form as we all know he is, but tricks aren't what he does.

You say we can't afford to give Nani a run with nothing to show for it, but one point with Nani is that he always has something to show for in that he often scores or creates a goal when he isn't seemingly playing well. Nani's productivity is good, he just needs to improve his general play. A run of a few games in the team without fear of being dragged off after 45-60 minutes if you've misplaced one pass would be good. A few unconditional 90 minutes could easily be given in the next few games against Burnley, Hull and Portsmouth.

Zen86

At least he's not got a gobshite of a cousin

CLK_FPC

He is too frustrating for me to care about. I used to hate him with a passion but I said give him a chance he started the season well but then he reverted to type and made me feel like I misplaced my faith.

He won't get a run on the right ahead of Tony so he will have to learn to like the left if he wants/cares enough to play but before he gets a chance it won't kill him to get some reserve games.

Boss

When did this happen!

adexkola

It reeks of gayness

RedDevilCanuck

why doesn't Fergie ever play him on the right? I know Valencia has nailed that down but in terms of rest and rotation or tactics in game I find it baffling.

Nani usually (every time I've seen him) plays on the right for Portugal and actually does pretty well. Dare I say he and Ronaldo are thier most creative players these days.

MG

Only problem is:

d) He's not that good.

johnmufc

Corners? Maybe. I think Carrick takes an excellent corner kick but Fergie seems insistent on having him in the box as an aerial threat despite him almost never winning attacking headers.
Gibson also seems like a decent corner taker.
Nani is better than Giggs at corners though, in my opinion.
Giggs is our best free kick taker as it stands but if Hargreaves ever returns he may have something to say about that.

Well, he isn't afraid to have a pop at goal, but usually he gets it horribly wrong. Scholes and Carrick are probably the most efficient when it comes to long shots but they don't try them frequently like Nani and Gibson.

Perhaps, but his terrible decision making nullifies his skill most of the time.
Valencia has a great blend of pace, strength, and skill to make him extremely effective at beating defenders.

Maybe you're a bit optimistic but what I will say in Nani's defence is that he is an excellent crosser of the ball and can come up with assists and create chances, even if he's not playing well.

He deserves a chance. He gets a lot of stick but he does have that bit of flair we sometimes lack. Surely he's a better option than Park for matches such as our recent ones against Leeds and Birmingham.

CLK_FPC

Motherfuck both of you
I was hoping it would catch on

Red Pavan

I think he is a good player, could become a top player but something atm is not working for him at United. But, i am awaiting a run of games from him and will wait until the end of season to make my judgement and even if not for us he could become a huge success for another top club imo.

Boss

What is a tricky winger by the way? Is this an asset?

RonaldoVII

A winger with tricks, one would presume. More Ronaldo than Beckham, more flair than endeavour.

Adebesi

I still think Nani has it in him to be a great player for us. Whatever is holding him back is in his head. Some people struggle with the pressure of expectation or competition to get in the team and something like that seems to be affecting Nani, who cant express the obvious talent he has for us for whatever reason. Maybe he will get over it though. If he does, lucky us. Though I am losing faith he can get past it. If he does move on I think he'll do well elsewhere.

Shimo

Pretty sure heard couple of the players refer to him as Tony ... so you may have something.