Didn't Scholesy used to go on about this?
Make Rafael our Box-to-Box midfielder
- Thread starter Marcus
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) was joined by comedian Ali Woods to look back at the best and worst moments of a rollercoaster season with the annual United Hour Awards.
Has Ten Hag been sacked yet? We're not sure and we hope not, but it's looking more likely as the days pass.
Who should replace him and why is it taking so long to make a decision?
Yeah I get where you are coming from. But I thought it is actually a quick, hot headed kind of player we have been missing from midfield. Someone to put opponents on edge. A bit like what a fully fit Fletch gives us.
Thanks. I really am interested in discussing this. Not sure if some thought I was being a wind up.It doesn’t work like that in the Caf Marcus; you have to be subjected to what is tantamount to at least three pages of grammar school bulling like Colin.
I mean, let’s face it, creating a topic for discussion on a football forum….What a ridiculous thing to do
Such as fullback?
Didn't he play CM once before against Arsenal in the FA cup and do ok? Or was that Fabio? I definitely remember one of the twins playing in midfield
Can't qoute for some reason but they both played as wingers in that game I think
They played as wingers vs Arsenal, yes.
Rafael played as a CM vs Barnsley in the League cup in a match where Owen and Welbeck scored IIRC. He also, of course, played alongside Park in CM vs Blackburn last season.
This is a really fecking stupid idea no matter how you make it sound.
Rafael played as a CM vs Barnsley in the League cup in a match where Owen and Welbeck scored IIRC. He also, of course, played alongside Park in CM vs Blackburn last season.
This is a really fecking stupid idea no matter how you make it sound.
This.
In fairness to the OP, Rafael could play any attacking position and do well. His technique is excellent.
You must be kidding. He can't play right back well yet.
Firstly, he's energetic, yes, he'd bundle about the midfield like Park did, but to play a player like that, you sacrifice a forward in order to do so. Secondly, what would we do when he got the ball? God knows where this about him being a good passer came from.
To play as a B2B, he'd need to be able to do most things well, and he can't. At home to the minnows where we can afford to play wing backs is his job at the moment. Hopefully he'll be able to work on being a defender too.
A prophet.
This coming from the same man who wants us to sign Shane Long.
Well yeah, because he's defensively not that great at the moment.
I think he could be a great winger.
I'm not disagreeing. I just hope we find something for him where he can play well regularly. At the moment we have an abundance of wingers, and one 'proper' right back, so if anything, I'm hoping (nay, praying) he becomes a better defender.
Dont know about that. Being a RB who's good going forward and a great winger are entirely different challenges.
I can't ever see Rafael bossing a midfield, especially a very physical one. And that's the kind of player we need in the middle.
Why is it so difficult just to buy a bloody central midfielder? We tend to over stock on the wings and defense, can't we just have on period where we instead buy a central player? And no, I don't see Kagawa as a central midfielder.
Why is it so difficult just to buy a bloody central midfielder? We tend to over stock on the wings and defense, can't we just have on period where we instead buy a central player? And no, I don't see Kagawa as a central midfielder.
By solving our midfield issues through moulding a current member of the squad into another position we'd actually be getting an average midfielder at best instead of a potentially good right back (Rafael) and a potentially world class centre half (Jones). If we want a midfielder, we should go and buy one, not create deficiences in another position to try play a defender there.
I can see why you see what you see Marcus, alternatively some posters have said he is also too rash to do midfield.
If you look at Keano for instance he also ticked all of the afore mentioned boxes including rashness, however he also had a very acute sense of how games have a rhythm.
In his autobiography he explains this and he concedes that in periods of a game the opposition will have control of the possession. It’s a while ago since I read the book but I seem to remember him saying something along the lines of how it’s all about timing and knowing how to break the oppositions tempo and take control back of the game.
It could also be argued that Bryan Robson was blessed with this natural instinct.
Has Rafael got this predisposition, I doubt it however he is still young and maturing.
What in the feckity feck feck?
Worst. Thread. Ever.
Terrible idea in my opinion. He may have the basics for some attributes in midfield, but I don't think his passing or aggression and workrate is anywhere near good enough for him to be a box to box midfielder.
Plus he's going to be a top quality right back. Why risk losing that potentially top class right back by moving him to a role which probably won't suit him?
Plus he's going to be a top quality right back. Why risk losing that potentially top class right back by moving him to a role which probably won't suit him?
Composure.
How on earth have I read the full first page of this thread and not see 39 replies and only two words repeated over and over again.
feck OFF!!!!!
There you go, you can copy and paste the two words now
feck OFF!!!!!
There you go, you can copy and paste the two words now
Nay. Long way off.
I don't. I prefer these guys with posting diarrhea who only started supporting United three years ago and compulsively post in every thread, even ones they for some reason label obscure.
Unfortunately they tend to disappear pretty quickly. But new ones turn up.
That was complex reading.
I confess that my preference is to just browse the Caf for new things to discuss about United but when there is none (at least to me) I try to start a thread on something which I would like the chance to yak about with other United fans.I don't think it is something we should be trying. He is a very good right back and arguably the best one we have. I don't see why moving him is a good idea, all that would happen is we would be left light at right back.
Not to mention Rafael at the moment doesn't have the positional disciple I feel to control the game from the centre of the park. He would continually be dashing forward and leaving a hole in the centre. Not to mention trying to win the ball every time in situations where he needs to just hold position and force the player in another direction.
Not to mention Rafael at the moment doesn't have the positional disciple I feel to control the game from the centre of the park. He would continually be dashing forward and leaving a hole in the centre. Not to mention trying to win the ball every time in situations where he needs to just hold position and force the player in another direction.
Keane was a pitbull, Fellaini is more like a giant poodle.
I actually thought he put in a great 'headless chicken' defensive midfield shift when he played against Blackburn. I noticed he was quite good at closing players and denying space.
Hey, how about Scholes as a right back, imagine the crosses!
Rafael in CM would allow us to play Valencia and Carrick in defense.
lol
lol
this made 3 pages
(Scholesy thinks he's seen a tree in the touch.)
I've no problem with changing a player position,
But if you make him a box to box (and if he succeed), you're gonna ended up with no RB, and what's next? Valencia as RB? Anderson to Winger? and Jones as DM?
Point is : Rafael's a good player to start the 11, play him where he plays best. If we lack a DM / CM, we get a CM. End off
Why SAF shifted Smith, is probably because he's a surplus in the striker department at that time.
There are possibilities where a player turns out to be playing better in different position (Henry AM>CF), but if Rafael's playing great enough at CB, there's no point to setback his development 2-3 years just for him to be able to play in the middle.
But if you make him a box to box (and if he succeed), you're gonna ended up with no RB, and what's next? Valencia as RB? Anderson to Winger? and Jones as DM?
Point is : Rafael's a good player to start the 11, play him where he plays best. If we lack a DM / CM, we get a CM. End off
Why SAF shifted Smith, is probably because he's a surplus in the striker department at that time.
There are possibilities where a player turns out to be playing better in different position (Henry AM>CF), but if Rafael's playing great enough at CB, there's no point to setback his development 2-3 years just for him to be able to play in the middle.
I've heard it all now.
No,
No strength, short, and other 100 lacks.
Powell has much more potential in that role
No strength, short, and other 100 lacks.
Powell has much more potential in that role
We piss about too much by playing players where they're not supposed to play already anyway. Why do it more?
