[Giant Midget]

They're both 6/10 players. Darmian gets leeway because he's come from a vastly different league and has shown a lot of promise in some games, whereas Valencia is a coward who's decline in ability is down to his mental weakness and refusal to work on his game.

To go from United's title-winning first choice right winger to second choice right back, in supposedly the peak years of your career, is embarrassing.

In the long term, I full expect Darmian to progress and be first choice, or a very good second choice fullback. Valencia needs to go, we have too many mediocre players that have overstayed their welcome at this club.

 

[dannyrhinos89]

I'll be happy when Valencia is back easily better than other options we have

 

[Sandikan]

I'll be happy when Valencia is back easily better than other options we have

He has been quite a miss, which says it all about this season!

 

[bubbles_]

Absence makes the heart grow fonder..

He was my lowest rated player of the season on Match Day until Paddy McNair overtook him last week

 

[limerickcitykid]

Completely agree.

Darmian was the shiny new toy that was going to be twice the right back Valencia was last season (because Valencia is a right winger only and can't possibly play a different position well).

Exactly and you can even go through his thread last year and see that I don't like him but Darmian has done absolutely nothing to show he is better. Clearly this idea of just bringing in a new RB isn't as easy as thought. As I said, I don't like him but it is ridiculous the amount of people who want him shipped out. Darmian has proven to be anything but reliable and a new RB could be even worse.

He isn't great, he isn't even good but he is decent and what he has over Darmian is he is pretty damn consistent. He is a great 1 on 1 defender, very rarely do wingers get the better of him trying to take him on. Easily better than Darmian in that regard who has been ripped to bits at times. He is awful at tracking runs and movement but we all know that and Smalling and the DM should be helping him in those situations to ease the problem. Darmian has also shown to be weak in this area often being caught out by the LW making a run in behind and across the backline. His attacking is quite poor but he still gets up the field, offers and option and is good at keeping possession, again something at which Darmian is even worse at.

Darmian has been decent overall, some good performances and some down right awful. He certainly hasn't nailed down the RB spot or done anything to suggest we should get rid of Valencia.

 

[FC Ronaldo]

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[Devil may care]

He looked chunkier than ever.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

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[Lay]

Actually looking forward to see him back in the side.

 

[m1tch]

Hardly going to transform our fortunes but be glad to have him back nonetheless.

 

[snk123]

I'll get slated for this but ffs just play him on the right wing now and tell him to try to beat his man every time - every time! He is still better than all the options we have there.

 

[Sandikan]

he's going to come in, straight in the form he was that wonderful season, and really rip it up.

:-)

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

He looked chunkier than ever.

His muscles have grown muscles.

 

[Perrick Dubois]

More bodies are important, but I think he's comfortably behind Darmian and Varela now.

 

[Sigma]

More bodies are important, but I think he's comfortably behind Darmian and Varela now.

Don't think thats the case, I see him coming on as a sub, playing well, then keeping his place from then on in.

 

[Perrick Dubois]

Don't think thats the case, I see him coming on as a sub, playing well, then keeping his place from then on in.

I can live with that, if he is performing. I should mention that his experience is important as well. I just don't really want to see him playing at right back over genuine fullbacks on anything other than his form and merit.

 

[NinjaFletch]

If he gets a look in over Valera then I give up.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

Wouldn't be against him being a direct option on the RW, since we have no one who can comfortably play that position, but since he came on for the reserves and played full back seems clear that he's considered a full back only now.

 

[Robbie Boy]

More bodies are important, but I think he's comfortably behind Darmian and Varela now.

Not too sure why he would be 'comfortably' behind the very unimpressive Darmian.

 

[Stacks]

Does anyone wonder what happened to Antonio the cm destroyer? He had that cracking game vs Everton at CM last season (best from him in a while) and then we never got to see if it was a fluke

 

[Sigma]

Does anyone wonder what happened to Antonio the cm destroyer? He had that cracking game vs Everton at CM last season (best from him in a while) and then we never got to see if it was a fluke

Yeah I agree, Would definitely like to see him there again.

 

[Sunny Jim]

If he gets a look in over Valera then I give up.

Give up mate. Its Van Gaal who makes decisions. Once Young is back Varela is 5th choice.

 

[dichinero]

Always nice to see a person return to full health but Valencia, the best of the bunch I'm happy to see leave at the end of the season doesn't excite me. I hope he's return makes him attractive for other clubs

 

[Perrick Dubois]

Not too sure why he would be 'comfortably' behind the very unimpressive Darmian.

Because he's a right winger, not a fullback.

Does anyone wonder what happened to Antonio the cm destroyer? He had that cracking game vs Everton at CM last season (best from him in a while) and then we never got to see if it was a fluke

4-2-3-1, moved away from 4-3-3.

 

[Robbie Boy]

Because he's a right winger, not a fullback.

Am, have you not watched him play the last few years, no?

 

[Perrick Dubois]

Am, have you not watched him play the last few years, no?

Yes, he's a winger who has been asked to play fullback for some unknown reason. Just because he's played a hand full of games there in his mid-late career does not make him a fullback. His performances at fullback have quite clearly shown that.

 

[Robbie Boy]

Yes, he's a winger who has been asked to play fullback for some unknown reason. Just because he's played a hand full of games there in his mid-late career does not make him a fullback. His performances at fullback have quite clearly shown that.

Yeah but he's clearly a fullback these days and for me, he's better than Darmian.

 

[Attila]

Yes, he's a winger who has been asked to play fullback for some unknown reason. Just because he's played a hand full of games there in his mid-late career does not make him a fullback. His performances at fullback have quite clearly shown that.

He's better at fullback than he is as a winger these days

 

[Perrick Dubois]

Yeah but he's clearly a fullback these days and for me, he's better than Darmian.

He's not a fullback. He's a winger who is being asked to play at fullback. Like I said, his squad role and his ability are irrelevant. He's a winger, which is why he should be behind the fullbacks in the pecking order as I stated above.

He's better at fullback than he is as a winger these days

So he sits on the bench and waits until there is an opening in attack or defence, like I said above, behind the actual fullbacks we have in our squad and/or behind the wingers/hybridCM role players.

 

[Robbie Boy]

He's not a fullback. He's a winger who is being asked to play at fullback. Like I said, his squad role and his ability are irrelevant. He's a winger, which is why he should be behind the fullbacks in the pecking order as I stated above.

So he sits on the bench and waits until there is an opening in attack, like I said above, behind the actual fullbacks we have in our squad.

Righteo.

 

[Perrick Dubois]

Righteo.

It is a pretty literal equation. It would be like asking Mata to play Right wing and then after his six months this season playing absolutely dreadful saying "he's a winger now" when he clearly was never a winger in his career more an attacking midfielder/#10. A bit pedantic I will concede.

I will say that if his form shows he's better on the right in any position (or at that hybrid CM role) then I have no problems with him playing there. But right now he's had a five month layoff and is back to the back of the pecking order in my opinion and I don't speak for LVG on that one because my thinking means he'll go straight back into the starting lineup.

 

[Attila]

He's not a fullback. He's a winger who is being asked to play at fullback. Like I said, his squad role and his ability are irrelevant. He's a winger, which is why he should be behind the fullbacks in the pecking order as I stated above.

So he sits on the bench and waits until there is an opening in attack or defence, like I said above, behind the actual fullbacks we have in our squad and/or behind the wingers/hybridCM role players.

So even if he performs better than the right backs in the team he should wait until they aren't available to play? Are you saying players can't change roles as there abilities change? He no longer performs as a good winger so LVG found him somewhere where he is useful

 

[Attila]

It is a pretty literal equation. It would be like asking Mata to play Right wing and then after his six months this season playing absolutely dreadful saying "he's a winger now" when he clearly was never a winger in his career more an attacking midfielder/#10. A bit pedantic I will concede.

Didn't Mata play on the wing at Valencia and Chelsea? Anyway, I wouldnt say Valencia has been 'absolutely dreadful' at RB...he's been competent in most games

 

[Perrick Dubois]

So even if he performs better than the right backs in the team he should wait until they aren't available to play? Are you saying players can't change roles as there abilities change? He no longer performs as a good winger so LVG found him somewhere where he is useful

I believe he's been extremely poor at fullback. He makes a lot of mistakes that a typical winger would when it comes to defending, that is mainly why I don't want him to just come in and start at FB over other natural fullbacks but I conceded above that his form can keep him in the starting lineup, right now he has no form and personally I think he should be third in the pecking order behind the other fullbacks. I'd give him a dance out on the right wing to stretch his legs in the first team.

But like I also said, logic is backwards for Van Gaal and he'll probably go back into the first team straight away, that will make me uneasy as he has been out for a long time.

Didn't Mata play on the wing at Valencia and Chelsea? Anyway, I wouldnt say Valencia has been 'absolutely dreadful' at RB...he's been competent in most games

I believe he played from the left for Valencia and Chelsea. I should have made that clearer, right winger. Also above - I believe he has been poor but lets not start that debate as I am happy to have bodies back and I don't hate him as a player and am glad to have him back.

 

[dichinero]

So even if he performs better than the right backs in the team he should wait until they aren't available to play? Are you saying players can't change roles as there abilities change? He no longer performs as a good winger so LVG found him somewhere where he is useful

I don't think is as good as people make him out to be. He has been here for 7 seasons now and he only really impressed me in one season, the season where he destroyed LBs and assisted a lot of Rooney's goals. Other than that, he has been been very very underwhelming. His other good performances came under Fergie, who frankly made every rubbish player look good. After Fergie, he has been dreadful IMO. He is a failed winger who was reverted to RB for only one reason; his physicality, not skill or defensive ability but sheer physicality. I often wonder is that is the criteria for United footballers these ala Fellaini. Since Fergie left, he has had 2/3 serious injuries and each time he returned he got worse and worse. One too many injuries for a player who solely relies on his physical ability.

 

[Bwuk]

I'd be tempted to play him on the right wing with Valera at right back against Liverpool.

 

[Silverman]

I'd be tempted to play him on the right wing with Valera at right back against Liverpool.

Not a bad shout. At least he has pace and will get to the byline. His crossing can only improve.

 

[Bwuk]

Not a bad shout. At least he has pace and will get to the byline. His crossing can only improve.

Also will help Valera who struggled to deal with Coutinho in the first leg.

 

[Silverman]

Also will help Valera who struggled to deal with Coutinho in the first leg.

I'd have him on the right and Young on the left with Martial up top.

 

[Amar__]

I'd have him on the right and Young on the left with Martial up top.

Back to Valencia and Young on the wings, incredible how some people will never learn.