Im sorry but this is unsubstantiated drivel. How can you even measure this? By many accounts Valencia is one of the well liked members of the squad. Sounds like linguistic prejudice to me.
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Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 9
- Clean sheets
- 4
- Goals
- 0
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 4
- Status
We should have a captain that can front up to the cameras and talk about the team. We had that from Vidic, Evra, Cantona etc etc. In fact every other club captain, whether English was their first language or not. I’d even accept it if he gave an interview in Spanish and it was translated. The fact that he can’t/ won’t talk to the fans is more than enough collateral to say that he should absoubtly not be the club captain.
I’m sure Valencia is liked within the squad, but he’s not an inspiration, he not a leader, he’s not a captain. He’s not going to stand up at half time and talk to the team, he doesn’t lead by example on or off the pitch. You don’t see him rallying the players, you don’t even see him talking to the ref on behalf of his teammates. These are all small things, but they add up.
That's on Mourinho and the coaches. Perhaps they think he has some leadership qualities. I think its a bit silly to be this critical of a player over something he has no control over. Should he have refused to accept the responsibility? 'No thank you boss, I don't possess the leadership qualities required to wear that band, give it to Fellaini'.
You are right that the blame on him been chosen as captain lies with Jose.
This is a man that couldn’t cope with the pressure of a squad number - the number 7. Hardly the type of player we want in a leadership position, hopefully he will do the same again and relinquish the captaincy.
We would have hoped that he would at least have attempted to step up to the plate given this role. Perhaps Jose thought he would - whether this is the case or not, he’s a complete failure and without doubt our worst captain in my lifetime (nearly 40 years).
Fellaini would have been a better captain than Valencia for sure. I feel that he is captain because he could be the player who has been at the club the most time? He has been not up to the required level for a long time now.
Totally agree. The entire club and team lacks leadership. Disgrace.
Gutted with how his career ends here. Not in the squad and is fit.
Should be first out the door.
Seems done here. Although if Dalot looks as far away as he does at the moment, the door maybe slightly ajar for him.
Strangely quiet around Valencia. I’ve never been his biggest fan but he’s been made out to be some sort of unprofessional waster (well in again, Jose) this season and that’s nothing short of a travesty.
He’s still a much better option than Young at right back, especially defensively.
He’s still a much better option than Young at right back, especially defensively.
He's done. It's not his fault his body cannot handle it anymore.
I dont think his poor performances were anything to do with Jose. Honestly it looked like his legs have gone. Was very poor this season. Is no where near the first team squad and rightfully so
But the pretence that his attitude isn’t good enough is.
I think he’ll be back around the first team fairly soon. Could be wrong on that, though.
Ye, that was Mourinho going on about his attitude. What I saw when he did play this season, was a player who was unfortunately coming to the end. His legs had gone, his positional play was awful. It was like the last few games of Gary Neville all over again.
That's just a reflection of Valencia's time here, I think.
There's a lot we can say about Valencia. He worked hard, he made the most of his talent, and he clearly loved the club. But if we're brutally honest about him there's a lot else you can say too. He was not good enough to play in the position he was signed for, he was never a particularly great full back, and he had two good seasons at the club.
Now that his career has wound down and he hasn't been a fixture in the first team as much no one has actually missed him, or even noticed he's gone. He's just gone from meandering along being not quite bad enough to be replaced to being out of the side and out of mind.
I don't think he's a player that anyone's going to look back on with any great fondness. He was a good servant and did what was asked of him, he seems likeable, and criticising him seems a bit like kicking a puppy, but he's the sort of player that people in twenty years time will go 'oh, yeah, I remember Valencia, he was alright, wait, he was there how long? God, I barely remember that at all'. Those players don't tend to go out with a huge fanfare.
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I think he was the best RB in the league for a while, definitely top two.
I'd probably agree with that too. The issue is, for me, is that that was one season (Mourinho's first). He was a decidedly average one for most of the rest of the time here.
His contract expires in june right? Surely he won't get an extension. Great servant mind.
I agree with the vast majority of this. I don’t agree with the good servant bit - it’s just no one has got rid of him, a bit like I wouldn’t call Anderson a good servant for not getting sold in 8 years.
He was nowhere near the best RB in the league - what’s disappointing is that as someone who used to at least play on the wing, he’s someone with absoubtly no attacking intent.
You are right, he won’t be remembered. Except when we talk about the worst captains in Utd’s history.
He's months away from a testimonial which is staggering to me.
The “great servant” argument is based on what? On how long he’s been here? He is not good enough and never was, if being a good servant is all it takes I wonder why nobody says this about Jones, Darmian, Young....for some reason he gets special treatment, maybe is because he is the last player in the squad from SAF’s era.
He might leave in January. Another English team will pick him up.
I think, to be fair to him, he's sacrificed a lot for the club. He learnt a new position late in his career because he was asked to, and he got rid of his agent when he got here because he never wanted to leave.
You can be cynical and say he knew he'd never get it any better, but I think it's fair to give him the benefit of the doubt as we don't know anything else about him.
What? De Gea, Jones, Smalling, Young have all been at the club longer.
He’s about ready to start his West Ham career. Or he can still go and join a youth academy in Serie A.
Valencia was signed summer of 2009.
Smalling was signed summer of 2010.
De Gea was signed summer of 2011.
Jones was signed summer of 2011.
Young was signed summer of 2011.
This is kind of my point about Valencia above. He's been so nondescript for so much of his time here it's almost impossible to believe, like a piece of furniture or a stale fart, just how long he has been just sort of lingering around.
I misread the previous post I quoted, thought they meant Fellaini should be captain cos he’s been here the longest. My bad!
He was the best right back in the league for a while. His first season here he had 7 goals and 13 assists as a winger. He's played over 200 games for us. I would call that a great servant.
You guys are crazy. Yes he's finished and probably has been since last season but to belittle his time here just isn't factual imo. He had a couple of very good seasons on the wing and was able to convert to a fullback later on and had a couple very good seasons there as well. He was never world class but he did whatever we needed him to do and never made a fuss. He's not a legend or anything but he's certainly earned plenty of respect in his time here.
But even in your 'you guys are crazy he's so much better than you're giving him credit for' version of events you still have Valencia down as having 4 good seasons out of his 9 at the club.
That just isn't very good.
Many fans have started saying it abut Young, to be fair. Like Valencia, both have done a job in various roles. None say it about Jones and Darmian because one is never fit, and one was never any good. Valencia and Young have both made much more positive contributions to United than the other two.
I'd still also agree that both were never good enough overall ('good enough' being an elite footballer), but Valencia did have a very good period either side of his horrible injury, and then a period of being a very solid right back (LvG's 2nd season and Jose's 1st). He and Young have filled a gap which the club has continually been reluctant to fill with to quality.
Valencia seems to be finished though. It's overdue, but he was a reasonable signing for relatively cheap.
It’s really not is it. He’s been one of the main benefactors for having multiple managers. Our right hand side has been neglected for 7/8 years.
Unfortunately, he has declined significantly in the last season, particularly his attacking ability and is done at the club
Question for me is whether to offload him now or let his contract run down in June. I'd rather it be the former as he could do a job for a lesser team, while I'm keen on thinning out the older players who are on the fringes of the squad to make way for new talent.
Assuming we sell Darmian, it may leave us short for cover at full back (Shaw, Young, Dalot), but it's a risk I'm willing to take as Ethan Laird could be a rotation option, while the underused Bailley is competent in an emergency situation
Question for me is whether to offload him now or let his contract run down in June. I'd rather it be the former as he could do a job for a lesser team, while I'm keen on thinning out the older players who are on the fringes of the squad to make way for new talent.
Assuming we sell Darmian, it may leave us short for cover at full back (Shaw, Young, Dalot), but it's a risk I'm willing to take as Ethan Laird could be a rotation option, while the underused Bailley is competent in an emergency situation
~4 very good seasons, 4 well above average and then ~1 season of decline. He's been one of the most reliable players for us during his entire time he's been here. I would say that's pretty admirable.
That’s rose tinted pushed up to the max. Quite frankly that’s absoubtly rubbish, just like Valencia has been for the majority of his career. 8/9 seasons above average, it’s more 2-3 at the most. Failed winger, and average full back for a season, and now total liability. Sure he’s got big thighs, is strong and can bench press - but if far rather a winger/ full back actually attack the opposition. His accepted mediocrity is exactly what’s been wrong with our club. Turn Back Tony has led us to have the bluntest right side I can remember in 30 years.
If in your eyes Valencia has been that good, it’s sad what we have become to accept.
Back to Wigan? He's been a great servant to the club and doesn't shirk any responsibility on the pitch without a fight. Remember his poppedout blue black eye and he soldiered on like it wasn't there?
I don't think last bit's true anymore actually. Valencia certainly was the superior option about a year ago but he seems to have lost all ability in the final third, where Young at least retains a decent delivery. I suppose it's possible he'll have some form of mini resurgence under Solskjaer but his performance levels haven't been right for some time now.
Scored some important goals for us too like that rocket against Blackburn.
Ole says he'll be back wearing the captains arm band soon 
I am probably one his biggest critics and I hate seeing him being our first choice since he is not good enough, and he is absolutely terrible captain option, but he is probably and unfortunately still our best option on right back. Ashley Young is really poor in both ways, Valencia is at least reliable defensively(not perfect by any means). I would pick him as the first choice, and give Dalot time in easier fixtures.
We definitely need a new fullback in the summer, bring new first choice and get rid of both Valencia and Young.
We definitely need a new fullback in the summer, bring new first choice and get rid of both Valencia and Young.
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