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He went past players multiple times yesterday. Most obviously when he went on the outside to hit the cross that created the chance for Bruno.
It wasn’t a very good display. Perhaps you have forgotten what a very good display looks like. Maybe it was a ‘very good display’ when adjusted for general expectation of Antony. It was better than usual though for sure.
Well yeah. People tend to compare Antony to RWs in other teams. But I compare now to the times when we had Valencia failing to beat the fullback to put an aimless cross in. We in fact had no right wing for some time after Valencia left as well. Compared to those times, at least now we can switch okay from left to right and stretch the play.
Isn't he most often criticised here for being too predictable?
The only thing he has on Nani is defending. Every other part is vastly inferior.
Not true. He retains possession better. Carries the ball high up the pitch without losing it. Nani used to frequently lose the ball in dangerous positions. It was his biggest/worst flaw in his first couple of years.
Again, not true. One of our better players for a lot of last season, his good displays were comfortably in double figures. Would have been more with less injuries. But whatever. This thread is a car crash. I’m out.
He loses the ball constantly through bad passes. He will lose the ball, win it back and then lose it again.
Which is stupid. If someone can't be objective, they are a pollutant.
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My first question is, was this 'all' of his actions as I may be remembering some different things?
Fixed it for you...but your point still stands...nowhere near the performance expected!
Nani was two footed, a better athlete, and better technically with far more in his locker. Saying an attacker is "superior at defending" isn't a good thing, and Antony only retains the ball because he generally doesn't try anything. His actual progressive passing is terrible. This cope is hilarious
I don't necessarily disagree but Nani played in a far most functional team with established and conventional strikers.
Not true.
Thanks for posting that. This goes in line with how I remembered his performance-
Sure but my point wasn't Nani being a better player (he was though), but strictly talking about the traits of both players. It's not even close in that sense regardless of production
I mean it is. Even if you don't want to go off the eye test (which is damning), his progressive passing in every statistic is, at best, middle of the pack to poor with creative numbers being especially dreadful for a player that isn't proficient in front of goal himself.
Since when is progressive passing something that is very important for wingers? Not that his is bad any way, he's actually quite good at finding players inside the box with his passing, he just has a bad habit of going for the shot himself which he needs to quit doing.
It's not, but you just named a load of players that range from good to *best in the world* at taking on defenders and beating them off the dribble while Antony is poor at it. Thus if you can't drive at defenders/beat them/create from that then you need to be able to create in other ways OR be a threat in front of goal and as an off ball runner (Rashford).
0 goals
I agree. Not an amazing performance as some others pointed out but an improved one. He also went to the right a few times so I hope he gets more direct and less stopping
I actually really like the guy and he is improving although there is much room for improvement.
Nani in today's game would be, as you say, an elite talent. He would go for obscene amounts. How many Nani's are there around now?
He's a vastly better player than Traoré or Garnacho though.
Another untruth. In yesterday’s game he completed 84% of his passes. He lost the ball less through bad passes than Eriksen did.
Good summary. There’s a lot he needs to improve but it’s pretty obvious he’s already an asset to the team. He’s young enough he can suddenly turn a corner and become a lot more productive. If that happens then he’s been a good signing, if not he’ll be the latest in a long list of bad ones. Either way, writing him off already is stupid.
That's the ticket guys. With fans like this, who needs rivals to shit on our players...
You didn't get the point at all. It doesn't matter who is better/worse, but what he did in that attacking sequence and the decision he took. His first instinct was to protect the ball and not lose it instead of going all out at the last defender (in his current space). Other wingers' first instinct would be to attack the last guy.
If he thought he was quick enough he'd have attacked, kick and rush is just rarely going to be his game.
This. Absolutely.
