[Van Piorsing]

Great decision by Jose to put him in that kind of game. Valencia got some time recharge batteries for a crucial run of games.

 

[Zoo]

Best I've seen from him in a long time though the opposition was poor. I prefer him on the right.

 

[Garethw]

A much better right back than left back,

 

[Triple.Threat]

decent performance but i just can't see him around next season, i think we could do much better. Even as a squad player he isn't a very good one.

 

[Devil may care]

Solid enough, clearly tasked with being the more defensive of the two fullback's.

 

[Sandikan]

Against a rubbish team with no threat, pretty decent.
More importantly buys Valencia some time, as he'll be very important going forward.

 

[top1whoisman]

A positive surprise today.

 

[Ban]

Good good game. Assured in defense, never put a foot wrong, not so active in offense but if I noticed correctly he was instructed to be more behind most of the times.

 

[ti vu]

He was a lot better today, but the way we play, i.e. very narrow wingers, it means our full backs need to bombing on at all times.

There were a few occasions today when one of our front three had the ball and either lost it or were forced to go back because Darmian wasn't always an outlet for us. This is why I feel Valencia takes us to a different level when he plays.

I do think he was better today, though.

We played a slow tempo today, which suited him. The narrow front also similar to Italian games which gives Darmian a more familiar set up. He is much suited for this kind of games than having to try adapt himself to flying fullback profile.

So if Valencia to play this game, we might have to play differently or it could back fire and frustrate Valencia.

 

[Shady]

Just so average in everything he does.

 

[MadMike]

He did pretty well today. Personally I would happily keep him as a squad player, to be a RB cover, but I doubt that's that he wants. He's a starter for Italy, so he'll want first team football to get into the WC squad. What with Ashley Young entering the last year of his contract (he almost left in January) and Antonio Valencia turning 32 this summer. I'd rather we postpone buying a RB for a couple of years till we have to look for a long term Tony V replacement.

 

[NoPace]

I think he's better defensively (particularly against dribblers) than most here, but offensively he's really not very dangerous. It's not as harmful when the LB is playing very attacking as Shaw did today, but it does seem like a waste for Darmian when he could be playing 45 games a year at one of the Milan clubs, for instance, providing solid defending and maybe being back in Serie A he'd read the game well enough offensively that his crossing and runs in behind he showed more of at Torino and for Italy (though often in a 5 man backline, it must be said) would return.

 

[Jonno]

He really is an Italian right back isn't he. He could have 10 good years for one of the giants there, and win plenty. He was decent today against a confused championship team, but he isn't really suited to the Premier League

 

[stevoc]

Solid enough, clearly tasked with being the more defensive of the two fullback's.

Strange that we only seem to employ this tactic when Darmian is playing, and we really needed one of the fullbacks to sit back against the attacking power of the worst side in the league.

I don't buy it had Valencia played today he and Shaw would have both bombed forward.

 

[Gbenger]

Strange that we only seem to employ this tactic when Darmian is playing, and we really needed one of the fullbacks to sit back against the attacking power of the worst side in the league.

I don't buy it had Valencia played today he and Shaw would have both bombed forward.

This. I can't understand why some folks are still keen to make excuses for this guy. At his best, he's just bang average or easily below.

 

[Raoul]

Thought he put in a good shift today.

 

[11101]

Strange that we only seem to employ this tactic when Darmian is playing, and we really needed one of the fullbacks to sit back against the attacking power of the worst side in the league.

I don't buy it had Valencia played today he and Shaw would have both bombed forward.

We do it every game. When Valencia plays the LB sits deeper. It would be suicide to have both forward leaving the two CBs completely exposed. Shaw's fitness problem has been that he can't get back quickly enough to recover, even yesterday he did it a couple of times. Valencia used to get caught in no man's land too but has improved hugely.

 

[Womp]

Looked good I thought, did his job well.

 

[ReallyUSA]

Maybe its because I lived over there in Italy or a while, but I am always happy to see him in the team. When he leaves in the summer, it'll be to one of the big Italian squads. He'll do well over there too.

 

[Chaky_Best]

Very good yesterday.

He's a very good defender and not a very good counter attacking player, but it's worth having him in our side.

I'd play him more regularly in this position in order to give Tony a bit of rest now

 

[TrustInJanuzaj]

I think hes the worst Utd player I have seen in along time. Looks like a fan who got the chance to play. Offers nothing in attack and its a myth that he can defend. Yesterday wasn't his worst display but even then he was poor in attack and was bullied pretty much all game by their strikers.

 

[JoaquinJoaquin]

Thought he was good yesterday. The fact he averaged 5.8 in the match day thread says to me that people just don't like him and won't give him credit even when he has a good performance.

 

[stevoc]

We do it every game. When Valencia plays the LB sits deeper. It would be suicide to have both forward leaving the two CBs completely exposed. Shaw's fitness problem has been that he can't get back quickly enough to recover, even yesterday he did it a couple of times. Valencia used to get caught in no man's land too but has improved hugely.

Not really well at least i doubt one FB is told to attack less, for the majority of this season Valencia has played RB he is very attacking. At LB it's mostly been Blind or Darmian. Blind tries to get up and attack but isn't very mobile, and we know Darmian makes little effort to attack. So it's only in comparison to Valencia it seems like the other fullback has been told to sit. But as i said i don't buy it, if Valencia and Shaw had played all season both would bomb forward.

Having both your fullbacks attack and provide width isn't suicide thats nonsense especially against a team like Sunderland. Under Ferguson we had many, many games where both Evra and Rafael both bombed forward at every opportunity and we didn't do too badly.

 

[11101]

Not really well at least i doubt one FB is told to attack less, for the majority of this season Valencia has played RB he is very attacking. At LB it's mostly been Blind or Darmian. Blind tries to get up and attack but isn't very mobile, and we know Darmian makes little effort to attack. So it's only in comparison to Valencia it seems like the other fullback has been told to sit. But as i said i don't buy it, if Valencia and Shaw had played all season both would bomb forward.

Having both your fullbacks attack and provide width isn't suicide thats nonsense especially against a team like Sunderland. Under Ferguson we had many, many games where both Evra and Rafael both bombed forward at every opportunity and we didn't do too badly.

It's just standard football. If one fullback goes forward the other one sits. When you go down the other flank it swaps. If you have one fullback who is always getting forward like Valencia then your other side is always going to be playing conservatively. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[stevoc]

It's just standard football. If one fullback goes forward the other one sits. When you go down the other flank it swaps. If you have one fullback who is always getting forward like Valencia then your other side is always going to be playing conservatively. Nothing wrong with that.

No mate thats fine and yes that happens a lot in football, both fullbacks get up and attack when the play is going down their side of the pitch.

But the narrative some are trying to push in here is Darmian is being told to sit and defend deeper than the other fullback and not get forward that often. Which is bullshit Darmian doesn't get forward very often because it's just not part of his game. He doesn't have it in him, we could play Smalling/Jones at RB and Darmian wouldn't push forward more on the left.

 

[Adam-Utd]

Anichebe can be a real handful but he dealt with him fairly well I thought. I am probably his biggest hater, usually can't stand him but he was up to par this time.

Not a touch on Valencia though.

 

[SirAF]

Looked good I thought, did his job well.

Yeah, me too.

I've always wanted us to have a proper Italian defender, so I'm gutted he couldn't build on his promising start here. Hopefully he can still have a role as a squad player.

 

[JoaquinJoaquin]

Been good again today I think.

 

[prath92]

Very good defensively today. Some important tackles

 

[Devil may care]

Did well defensively and to his credit that's all Jose asks of him.

 

[Carl]

Did fine. Would much rather see a left footer over there though. Does my head in that no matter who picks it up on the left they have to stop and cut back before they can cross.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

Not his fan, but he was very good defensively. I don't think you can blame him for the goal.

Just a shame he offers nothing in attack.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

He's on top form atm defensively, good crosses in attacking too and support movement.

 

[acnumber9]

I thought tonight was his best game for us. He was trying to do Fellaini's job on the goal.

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

Goal wasn't his fault.

He was trying to cover for the useless Fellaini but saw the danger too late.

 

[Vilev]

I thought tonight was his best game for us. He was trying to do Fellaini's job on the goal.

I second that. Today's game was the only one for me where Darmian looked like a MU-level player. He was solid at the back, but more importantly supported attack well enough. Because in today's football you can have a full back, that can't attack.

 

[bucky]

Very good game from Darmian again, hope he can keep this up.

 

[BlahRules]

It's becoming apparent he is being told not to attack at all, and his sole purpose is to be another centre back. Played well and did his job.

 

[worldinmotion66]

Really pleased for him, he's a good defender and excellent at pressing and intercepting. I'd be loathed to see him leave the club.

 

[Acole9]

Stitched up by Fellaini for the goal but he's just not tough enough, I don't think he has the right mentality to play for us.