Antonio Valencia...

OneUnited24

True and even Cole has a good cross on him from LB

Brwned

Don't really see your point.

Joe Cole and Malouda are two players I'd call wingers, and they're not particularly good crossers. Most wingers in this league aren't.

Lennon's become a better crosser. Krancjar is a good crosser from dead balls but from open play isn't as productive as Valencia IMO. Milner and Young are both better I'd say. Arteta too.

But then each of these teams have a target man that starts regularly, they need wingers who constantly whip the ball in. We don't look for that in a winger as the main requirement.

I'd say he's a better crosser than about 90% (or assuming every team besides Chelsea plays two wingers that'd be 36) first choice wingers in this league. Maybe slightly less, but I'd say he's not a half bad crosser in general.

Brwned

A worse cross than Valencia, though, so I don't really see your point.

scholesy legend

...and to use his left foot a bit.

johnmufc

The only winger you've listed here is Malouda and possibly Walcott. Joe Cole, Arshavin, Nasri and Benayoun aren't wingers.

Anyway, Valencia is a decent crosser but I don't think he's even the best at United. On his day, Nani is a superb crosser of the ball, although his decision making is woefully poor so that essentially lessens his effectiveness. Valencia is probably on a similar level to Giggs in terms of crossing. I think Neville and Rafael are better crossers if we're including fullbacks as well.

With all that said, I do think Valencia is our best winger, and indeed one of the best true out and out wingers in the League. He's got explosive pace, the ability to beat a man, and a wicked shot. His only real problem is his complete lack of a left foot which means he constantly checks back onto his right and has to use the outside of his boot when it would be far more efficient to use his left.

Brwned

They play on the wing, they're wingers. No point calling them attacking midfielders when clearly their primary position over the past few years has been on the wing. I like it simple. If you want me to be really specific, he's one of the best crossers in the league that plays on the wing consistently.

Nani has more variety with his crosses, and often more quality, but he's a lot less productive with his crossing in general. Valencia has a real asset in being able to get the ball in consistently despite being in tight situations. Nani struggles with that. All part of the technique of crossing, I'd say. Valencia simply puts in more dangerous crosses than Nani in a typical game, IMO.

Ekeke

Arshavin's crossing is good. Obviously playing on the left means he tends to have to use his left foot to deliver, but he's pretty good at that too.

Aside from Walcott and maybe Malouda, the rest of the players you mentioned are all more incisive passers than Valencia. They may not be great crossers but thats because they cut through with passes.

Valencia on the other hand isnt that good at either. Although his speed and dribbling can get him in good positions to find 'easier' passes to set up a team mate.

Oh and he's definately not as good a crosser as Giggs. And when Nani gets his cross right (which may not be often enough for our liking but tends to be about once a game) he's capable of the very finest of crosses bar Beckham's.

Cold_Boy

Hes not really a world class player or crosser.

Sunny Jim

Nanis better at crossing.

NextSeason

Unless you count Ryan Giggs as a winger, I'd probably agree with that.

However saying that, I think Valencia is more a traditional winger in the sense he is up and down the line so his crossing needs to be better than others because they have more to their game IMO.

friendlytramp

the wingers are meant as an alternative off the bench- the ambition is to rely on the fullbacks and a 3-3 SAF's just looking for the right personnel to make it work...

TonyMontana

He's a great player, he has shown he's a great player, Fergie knows he's a great player, you all critics are idiots.

Brwned

Think you'll find very few world class crossers.

And yes, he's not a world class winger nor was he expected to be.

So really that was just a bit of a pointless criticism. As usual.

OneUnited24

Im pretty sure a lot more of Coles crosses have ended in goals compared to Valencias

Brwned

I'm entirely sure that in the past couple of years Valencia's set up more goals from crosses than Cole.

It's only this season Cole's become a decent crosser, Valencia's been one for a while now.

amir51

Valencia has one move. Cut down the by-line and then when he runs out of space, he turns completely side ways as he has no left foot or can't turn around quickly to beat his man. So he stops. Looks, and then goes to the right back.

Very one-dimensional in my view.

OneUnited24

I still think that Valencias crossing isnt as good as people sometimes make out, a lot are often overhit or played slightly behind our attackers which lead me to my eariler point that Giggs/Nani are better crossers of the ball - and then suggesting Coles was better. Maybe over the course of say the last 3 seasons Valencia has been more better (which i do doubt) but this season he hasnt been anything really special with his crossing

Thats not to say he hasnt been effective for us as he has in other areas

OneUnited24

TBH its not that bad when hes playing in a 442 but when you are in a front 3 you cannot rely on other players supporting you on the same wing which is why you have to do something with either your left foot or something unpredictable to get you past a player - which Valencia has yet to do (and not just his party piece)

Berlinknives

I think it's just the likes of Rooney and Owen aren't going to profit as much from them as say Rodagella and Heskey. Maybe Welbeck should get a run out against the weak sides like Hull.

The_Midfielder

Good but not as good as the wingers we have had..

Epic

One trick pony, only scores goals.

R.N7

So basically..

Sack Fergie, Sell Valencia, Buy Valencia CF

Ace

It doesn't really matter if anyone on our team can cross or not. We couldn't win an offensive header if our lives depended on it.

OneUnited24

I was thinking about this today and while we can say no one in our team can head the ball very well if the cross is good enough to drop between 2 defenders or in a good area to attack the ball then i am sure strikers of Berbatov and Rooneys quality would be able to lach on to them - right now all that happens is the balls coming into the box dont really get past their first man or are over hit

Ekeke

Rooney has scored a couple this season. Owen too.

A quality delivery gives us that chance even with smaller strikers. Dont think Valencia set any of them up though...

Ace

Even then, both Berbatov and Rooney spend too much time outside the box to make such a big fuss about not having inch perfect crossing at every opportunity.

Our squad has changed since the days of Ruud, Saha, and Ronaldo.

Nathan

i'm surprised at the number of games he has started. he does linger on the ball to long at times and his crossing invariably picks out the opposition. he needs to work on his decision making. with time i think this will come, he seems to have been missing in the last few games over and above the goal he got against wolves

Brwned

Who has?

Odd, I thought his ability to keep possession was one of his bigger assets.

Pretty sure he put in an excellent cross for Rooney against Wigan.

OneUnited24

Im not going to debate who has a brillant cross on him (in our squad or otherwise) i said his crossing wasnt as good as people make out and i stick by it

Rado_N

This thread is hilarious, our new signing has been settling in very well and has already scored as many goals this season as in his last three seasons with his previous club, but he has a few quiet games and out come the spastics with their criticisms.

Ekeke

His job is to create goals too. While his scoring record has been good so far (although he's profited from luck on occasion) he hasnt created much, despite having shit loads of attempts at doing so. He's found that part tough so far.

Brwned

Trust you to throw that in there and ignore him being unlucky in hitting the bar twice with two great shots against Liverpool and CSKA(?).

Ekeke

2 deflected goals, at least one of which was going wide against CSKA. Hence my reservation at proclaiming him a dependable goalscorer just yet.

Trust you to try and glaze over it, and the point that despite being the best crosser at the club in your opinion he hasnt created much this season. Having had so many attempts to cross the ball this season that must be a surprise to you eh

R.N7

I don't think i've ever witnessed a new signing begin so well and at the same time get so much stick. It's a bit bizarre actually, it shows just how spoilt our fans really are.

Brwned

Not really no, seeing as he's a new signing. Giggs, a player who's been the most productive crosser this season, has a slightly better understanding with the rest of his team mates which helps.

Ironic that you'd be the one to point that out.

Zen86

It's basically people crying that he's not Ronaldo, which was always bound to happen.

Brwned

That people being overly critical of O'Shea are just as spolit as people being overly critical of Valencia, if not more so.

Escobar

Yet they want O'Shea back rather sooner than later.

So far, Valencia has done well in my book. For me, the most important thing is that you can see him improving, eventhough he's at the club for only 4 months. Valencia is definately not the reason why we are not hitting top form right now

Denis' cuff

United would be a fuckin good team if somebody would get on the end of his crosses

Cold_Boy

How is fact a criticism?

Did I criticise him of being shit?