Come on that's the one really poor half he's had maybe all season and to Rafael's credit he came out the second half and sorted it out. Said afterwards he realised he didn't have to win every single ball and was much improved after that. He's had a great season and has matured a lot.
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Come on that's the one really poor half he's had maybe all season and to Rafael's credit he came out the second half and sorted it out. Said afterwards he realised he didn't have to win every single ball and was much improved after that. He's had a great season and has matured a lot.
Bad half against Ronaldo and Ozil, liability
I only have to match in clear memory this season where he was rash and impatient with his tackling.The pb is that he was facing some of the best dribblers in the world in a highly viewed match.Consistency will always be more important than making mistakes in one big game.
That's just recent example. Love Rafael, but I prefer my fullback to be a "Gary Neville" or "Brown" type; and leave the attacking flair to wingers. Sadly, our wing play is such in dire state, that we need fullback to be our main source of threat.
Are you posting from 2010?
Obviously not.
These full backs are a rarity more and more these days. Look at all top teams in world football and they have full backs that focus more on attacking, except maybr Arbeloa. Being solid defensively and contributing massively in attack is what most teams have now.
You're drunk? Neville was fantastic going forward and it was his great asset.
He's probably not looked upon like that for two reasons: He certainly was not a flair player, it was about overlapping, putting in a good cross, finding good positions. Also, his attacking ability really was something that developed over the years. He was at his best attacking-wise in his latter years, pre injury.
He was certainly far more old school, Irwin type, rather than a Rafael or an Evra.
I personally think Rafael is becoming a very good little defender now. Only experience he lacks, i am much more scared when a winger goes 1v1 against Evra, than raf.
I don't mind attacking fullback. But like you say, it's rare to find player who can find a balance on those. There goes the era of Cafu, Thuram, Zanetti, and Maldini. Or even Irwin.
Like Amir said. Neville wasn't 'fantastic' going forward. D. Alves is. And it's just a matter of preference. I'd prefer two Dennis Irwin (or Garry Neviles) on the sides, than two Dani Alves.
Neville had a great cross on him. 
The full-back has become increasingly important in modern football, especially as we've seen some top sides not play with wingers.
The full-back has become increasingly important in modern football, especially as we've seen some top sides not play with wingers.
I could understand a few points being made if we were talking about Rafael from the perspective of being "perfect" in his role. He does still have a 45 mins every once in a while where his defending isnt as good as normal and someone gets some joy against him. But the important thing to bare in mind is that even the likes of Lahm have a period now and again where they look ordinary. And when someone is comparing it to Valencia, when Valencia himself is nowhere near perfect in the position when he plays there, its ridiculously critical of Rafael. He's not a perfect fullback but he's a very honest hard working defender with more quality going forward than perhaps any of our other defenders in recent memory.
Yeah. Admit I phrased it wrong. I was meant to say that, if Valencia can perform as good as he's at right-back against Chelsea consistently, I'd prefer him there than Rafael (for reasons stated above posts).
But obviously he hadn't in many previous games, and Rafael has had many better games than him as RB. It's just a hypothetical scenario.
But obviously he hadn't in many previous games, and Rafael has had many better games than him as RB. It's just a hypothetical scenario.
Valencia like Ramsey after nasty injuries have lost their spark. I don't think either will return to their peaks.
Valencia is a player who relies on his physical attributes alot and as he ages so will his ability. Time to sell.
Valencia is a player who relies on his physical attributes alot and as he ages so will his ability. Time to sell.
That's weird Commadus because Valencia, immediately after his broken ankle came back to perform for a few months at a very high level.He was for a moment, among the best United and league players.Very different from Ramsey
.....and more quality going forward than perhaps any of our wingers in recent memory.
He was fine initially coming back from his injury. This run of poor form can't be placed as a result of an injury. It's either confidence or mental IMO. You see occasional glimpses of what he used to do regularly, but he doesn't seem to be able to link it all together right now. Though we have at least seen a few signs that he could be turning it around in recent weeks.
Definitely yeah.Rafael has been the best wide player this season (wingers and full backs)
Pretty much. When he returned towards the end of that season he got injured, he looked surprisingly strong, quick and confident. I thought an injury like that would destroy his pace. Then the following season was the best of his career.
It's baffling how many people blame that injury from 2010 for his form now, when inbetween then he's been our most dangerous player. Do people just forget? Or are we just do desperate to make an excuse for Valencia? His form is poor. It happens.
I think people often jump to it because they can't get their heads around why his game has dropped of so much this season, so just go back to the major injury line that has ruined players in the past
Shit, as per usual. He is a typical 'scared' sub from Sir Alex. Why throw on any of your match winners like Nani, Hernandez or Kagawa and go for the throat when you can sub on Valencia who will suck the ball up on the right and give it right back 30 seconds later and hope he does that often enough to bleed out the clock?
I thought he looked decent enough when he came on? Ran at the defence, beat a few people every time he got the ball and did well in the little bit he was on. Had one slightly over hit cross that fell to Evra at the edge of the box anyways so it wasn't too bad. Only negative was the one stupid foul at the end but apart from that he did well.
What exactly was so shit from his sub appearance?
He just doesn't do anything productive. He's gone from being our danger man, creating loads of chances to a point where getting off one good cross is considered a good showing for him. He's not good enough right now.
I'd argue it's gotten to the point where he's been worse this season than Park was last season, and with less valid excuses too.
I am really not sold on Valencia anymore, he lacks confidence clearly and i would go so far that he seems to be coasting in games. I am going to be very surprised if he is still with us next season.
He will be surely because SAF rates him highly and plays him a lot.You rarely do that for a player you'll sell.
Our flank men has been a let down. That explains why were playing strikers there
Completely disagree with this, did pretty much all he could in his short time on the pitch.
I didn't think he should've come on yesterday, it should've been Kagawa or Nani but he was far from "shit" in the limited minutes he was given. I mean, what would've sufficed for you? nothing less than a goal or an assist?
It's getting beyond belief now, and I'm not talking about Valencia's form here. What the feck did he do wrong apart from the foul at the end? There were 7/8 United players playing like shit all night then Valencia came for what, 10 minutes? beat a few players comfortably and at least tried something on that right wing.
Then I hear 'he just doesn't do anything productive these days'. So why don't you stick to bollocking him for the season's performance in overall? he did nothing wrong yesterday and yet you'll see 'shit as per usual'. Madness really.
Then I hear 'he just doesn't do anything productive these days'. So why don't you stick to bollocking him for the season's performance in overall? he did nothing wrong yesterday and yet you'll see 'shit as per usual'. Madness really.
Probably people expecting him to finally do something, which just hasn't happened for a very long time, but he still gets picked or brought on. feck knows what's happened this season, it's been a complete write off for him.
I think he's shown hints of coming back into form the last few games, especially in terms of beating people.
He simply can't cross anymore, haven't seen a good ball from him in quite a while. He is essentially useless if he can't even put in a half decent cross each game.
Totally agree but to criticize him after yesterday is dumbfounding.
Is it just a trend people cant shake to slag off Valencia? He was good for the short amount of time he had last night, and was the only player in our team who could take the ball forwards. He has been better than he was previously this season in his past few games.
The whole team has been lacking in general, bar probably Carrick, but Valencia is the scapegoat.
The whole team has been lacking in general, bar probably Carrick, but Valencia is the scapegoat.
Delusional doesn't even come close to being the right word if he can't even realize how shite he's been this season.
Agreed. He looked like he was getting back to his old self against City on Monday.
Must be lost in translation, only time I have heard him talk in English was after the Blackburn game.
My concern is that our players are playing with the pressure of not repeating last seasons collapse whereas at City they're playing with freedom because everyone thinks its over for them...
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