Am sure most would put him among one of the best in the world bracket if he managed to cross consistently. Absolute beast of a player. I seriously don't remember when was the last time he had a bad game. His performances always fluctuate between above average, good and great. Not many players can say that for themselves. He's surprisingly agile for a physique like his and works equally hard. I would not take any other RB over him unless it's a genuinely world class player.
25
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 43
- Clean sheets
- 19
- Goals
- 1
- Assists
- 6
- Yellow cards
- 7
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
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Please, name me 10 fullbacks that are better than him at present?
Juanfran, Carvajal, Bellerin, Azpliceuta, Dani Alves, Lahm, Piszczek, Srna, Walker, Serge Aurier
Also arguably:
Hysaj,Vrsaljko, Sidibe, maybe even Clyne and Liechtensteiner
I should reiterate that I am not saying that these players will be better than him throughout this season. If he plays this well till the end of the season (which I think he will) then I can firmly say he will be up there in the top 10 as well. I also think he has been our best player this season alongside Mata, my average rating of him is 8.5 this season. I am just saying that he's been playing well since the end of last season, and so it's not a good idea for me to say he is in the top 10 based on form alone.
The ones bolded I don't agree with. Alves and Lahm used to be better, but they aren't doing half the job Valencia does for us. He really is underrated, running the whole right flank by himself for 90 minutes every week, how many times does he get beaten? I can only count on 1 hand how many times a winger has dribbled him.
Juanfran plays well in Atletico, take him out of that team and he is average. That's the system. Carvajal is bone average. Good athlete but he's the Spanish Rafael.
Piszczek hasn't been the player he was a few years back, sometimes doesn't even start. Srna not a chance, free kick merchant.
Walker and Aurier are both good, Aurier is a better all round player but an absolute nutter, Walker is on par IMO.
Hysaj is average, nothing special from him at all. Vrsa is a sub behind Juanfran, needs a permanent run to really prove himself, see nothing in him that Valencia can't/doesn't do.
People really do underrate Tony. Yes his positioning can be better but that's his only weak spot. If he could cross accurately he would be the new Cafu.
Nah.
I believe young could be made into a similar player if given chance as he always had better positional sense than Valencia, but we should rather buy a new proper fullback than spending years of converting him into it. Someone who could cover both flanks, but not someone awfully average like Darmian...
well Joe Riley could be made into a decent modern fullback and he played on the left more games than on the right iirc despite being right footed...
well Joe Riley could be made into a decent modern fullback and he played on the left more games than on the right iirc despite being right footed...
He wasn't involved that much last season because he had to do a surgery or operation to removed the steel from his leg. But when he got his chance at the end of season he played well and you admited it. But what makes me curious with your 10 list of full back who are better than Valencia.
How the likes of Azpillicueta who hasn't been playing well as a full back last season and this season has been playing as a CB in back three is better than Valencia?
Srna? He won't even make it to United's full back right now.
What makes Walker is better than Valencia?
The only players that I can see in your list who are better right back than Valencia is Bellerin and Lahm and may be Alves. The rest are either equal or worse.
Feck me you must watch a lot of football, from different leagues might I add. From the ones I've watched, he's better than Azplicueta, Piszcek and probably Walker on average. Carvajal and Valencia are about equal in my opinion, and the others I've not watched enough to form an opinion other than one match here and there, which can tell more lies than truth.
Yes, that's what separates him from the best. If he'd have even an average crossing ability, he would've been absolutely brilliant.
Still love him though
Absolutely ridiculous post. Juanfran, Carvajal, Lahm, Walker, Aurier and arguably Bellarin i can agree. But most of them appear better because they're playing in teams that are finished product and actually have had a proper RW in front of them, unlike Valencia who had to work with Mata (constantly drifting in and leaving him alone on the right side, Lingard, Martial and Rashford)
Azplicueta? He played LB for 3 seasons! Piszczek not really, Srna old and he's playing for Shakhtar, you know that right? Without his free kicks he's really average. Dani Alves ain't better at all, he's old and he was great in Barca system, he's been poor in Juve.
Hysaj played half a season good for Napoli and he's suddenly better than Tony V? Vrsaljko is 2nd choice behind Juanfran ffs. Sidibe just no, Clyne on pair, maybe better and Lichtensteiner hell no.
I'm starting to think you just added names you could remember.
Yes.
He seems to hit the late peak as Scholes, Carrick used to have into their early 30s. Now he seems to run the whole right wing by himself like Maicon. Of course, his crossing ball is still a big flaw.
Is it fair to say thats his only flaw now? Before he used to be out of position at RB, but I think hes seems like a natural RB at defending. Cant remember him being caught out many times there.
I still see he's lacking concentration with defending aerial ball, so it's another weakness, but I would say it's a much lesser weakness if our team keep the shape well and defend together. So yes., I would say his crossing is likely his only flaw now, unlike, say, couple years back when LVG tried him as primary RB since City game where his positioning and awareness was quite questionable at times.
Man Utd 1:0 Tottenham
Can someone tell him to stop hoofing the ball? It's really frustrating how many times he hoofed the ball from deep for no reason in last few games.
Only two crosses,but both were class. Something is very odd
maybe he has worked on it.
our only outlet for crosses as the left side is completely dead.
He probably he has, but normally he comes into those positions ten times during a half but hits two good ones from that, but today he hasn't been in as many good attacking positions. He is probably quite wary of their counter threat.
2 brainfarts that could've cost us the game, apart from them - quality performance.
It says something about his form when I think he's going to be a huge miss next weekend.
No complaints. He was very good today. Is turning out to be a reliable player for us.
Its Wednesday the palace game.
Even better.
Completely ignored fulfilling his marking on Wanyama at their free kick and just let him go. Also jogged back slowly ignoring tracking back on Kane who was completely unmarked during their counter attack where Eriksen had a shot right at De Gea outside the box.
Very unlike him being this lazy.
Very unlike him being this lazy.
Good going forward but could easily have been punished on a couple of occasions at least. He's always susceptible to a silly defensive error.
Isn't every defender? I thought he had 1 lapse in concentration with the Wanyama header. He also had a poor touch in another case but got back and made up for it. Not his best performance, but he did what was needed.
Also created 2 good chances with 2 good crosses.
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He's gone from the most consistently shite winger in the league to the most consistently good right back.
Made up for his blunder catching up to Ali. Some other sloppy moments too but some quality play in the first half.
He's quality at RB. He was due a blunder . Been amazing all season.
He's quality at RB. He was due a blunder . Been amazing all season.
Always been one of my favourite utd players . Go on Tony keep it up
Banned in the next game.
We will miss him. he's our only decent RB
We will miss him. he's our only decent RB
With the Ali incident, I though "feck no..." and then I remembered it was Valencia, and he always gets back in time, and he did. Not his best game, but certainly not bad.
So it's Darmian and Blind next week then, with Mata on the right flank perhaps.
When is Shaw due back?
When is Shaw due back?
Not been as forceful in the last couple of games but still playing well for the most part.
time for Timothy? Darmian shouldn't be anywhere near the first team and Blind on the other side
Riley please in lieu of Darmian or even Tofu.
I think it'll be Young covering for him in our next game.
This - no one's perfect. He definitely fell asleep but could have had 2 assists. The break will do him good. The moment when he jogged back on their possession..it's like he is tired.... I know! I didn't know he got tired!
Was OK, maybe his weakest game this season for us. He wasn't poor, he has played his part offensively and was doing the job defensively for majority of the game but he had those 2 mistakes (completely forgetting to mark Wanyama on that cross, that poor control on 'Hams counter) that could have costed us dearly.
We'll miss him on Wednesday definitely.
We'll miss him on Wednesday definitely.
He improved his position and defending a lot (well, except maybe today). He really has become a brilliant RB with so much drive and energy going forward!
So delighted he even agreed to do this in English.
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