Rafael and Pereira join the U21s for a trip

But he does play for the U21s and not the first team...for absolutely no reason...every single week.

How do you know it's for no reason?

Maybe just maybe he's getting back to full fitness, so he doesn't breakdown yet again when he makes his 2nd or 3rd comeback game with the first team!

Find it annoying people state such issues as fact, when they are not privy to what the Manager thinks about certain players...
 
I'd suggest there's an attitude problem or something similar behind the scenes.

He's been just as injured as the other defenders so I can't imagine that having an affect.

I refuse to believe Valencia is a better option than him, even with LvG's need for defensively solid full backs.

It's bizarre either way, he's always been a brilliant attacking threat and a very good defender a lot of the time, albeit error prone and sloppy.

When I see Valencia and Fellaini trying to break down the opposition defence down the right wing... :(

Rafael is far from being a top class RB for the reasons you have mentioned, but recent evidence suggests that Valencia isn't the perfect answer either.
 
Given Rafael's injury problems its entirely possible that LVG wants him to get a good long run of games at U21 level before he'll bring him back to the side, prove his fitness and work on discipline. In the past its been 2 games for the reserves, back playing in the first team and then out injured again after a short term run in the team. He's been the kind of player that you worry about getting taken off early in the match due to injury and generally you dont want to be using one of your subs for a full back.
 
What stupid thread title. There's no such thing as an "official U-21s" player and Rafael remains part of our first team squad.

Nice photos and always good to see the club taking part in initiative like this. A real shame it was brought up for no reason other than to continue the tedious bloody whining about the manager daring to have a different opinion about the best right back in our squad :rolleyes:
 
Could well be Rafael's own wish to join the lads for this event. I do not believe for a second that he has been completely frozen out of the senior squad.

Yes, he's played with the U21s so he'll have known they were doing the visit. He's a dad himself and I would think Joyce, the school kids and the other players were glad he went.

As for omens. They aren't good for Rafael. It's a real shame but the combination of injuries and LvG's apparent preference for taller fullbacks probably means that this season is his last with us.
 
Daily Mail or M.E.N would be proud of that thread title.
 
I can't remember what he did in order to receive this punishment? Did he have a mega shit game or was he injured or something?
 
Overreacting as always, he's going to be sold, some of you need to get used to it, period.
 
I'd suggest there's an attitude problem or something similar behind the scenes.

He's been just as injured as the other defenders so I can't imagine that having an affect.

I refuse to believe Valencia is a better option than him, even with LvG's need for defensively solid full backs.

It's bizarre either way, he's always been a brilliant attacking threat and a very good defender a lot of the time, albeit error prone and sloppy.

Never heard of an attitude problem before so I very much doubt it. Where as it's LVG's trait to freeze out player just for the sake of it.
 
This, basically. Is he a better right back than Valencia? Yes, but since 2008 he's made more than 30 appearances once in 6 seasons. Valencia for all his faults has done a decent job most of this season and has very good injury record. He's been fit since the turn of the year so people are questioning why van Gaal's not picking him but it's seems he's had enough of his injuries and we'll be buying a new right back in the summer.

"He has a good injury record" is now seen as a justifiable reason for someone to be in the team!
 
Right back has been an issue for around five fecking years now, it's incredible that we haven't bothered to sign one yet.
 
It's a bit of a crazy idea but lately LvG and his staff seem to have changed things for the better in terms of injury problems. What if they diagnosed that Rafael has a muscular imbalance that causes him to pick up a lot of these injuries and he's currently working in the gym to correct the imbalance to prevent further injuries and to keep him match sharp he plays in a bit less competitive environment during the physical build up. I know the narrative currently is that LvG doesn't rate Rafael at all and this might very well be the case but maybe, just maybe it's something entirely different and is actually done as a measurement to prevent Rafael from getting injured every other game.
 
"He has a good injury record" is now seen as a justifiable reason for someone to be in the team!

No, I said that he'd done a decent job mostly- and it also helps that he's not on the treatment table for a 1/3rd of a season almost every year.
 
Right back has been an issue for around five fecking years now, it's incredible that we haven't bothered to sign one yet.
Given we refused to sign a central midfielder for years till giggs decided he wanted to get I go management, scholes a pundit and anderson a bean bag, it's not that surprising.
 
No, I said that he'd done a decent job mostly- and it also helps that he's not on the treatment table for a 1/3rd of a season almost every year.

So did Mickey Phelan but you'd still pick Bryan Robson when he was fit. If doing a decent job mostly and not getting injured is enough to get in the United team these days there are some serious problems ahead.
 
It's a bit of a crazy idea but lately LvG and his staff seem to have changed things for the better in terms of injury problems. What if they diagnosed that Rafael has a muscular imbalance that causes him to pick up a lot of these injuries and he's currently working in the gym to correct the imbalance to prevent further injuries and to keep him match sharp he plays in a bit less competitive environment during the physical build up. I know the narrative currently is that LvG doesn't rate Rafael at all and this might very well be the case but maybe, just maybe it's something entirely different and is actually done as a measurement to prevent Rafael from getting injured every other game.
Could well be. We've also added some personnel to the medical and sports science staff, and he could be acting on their advice.
 
So did Mickey Phelan but you'd still pick Bryan Robson when he was fit. If doing a decent job mostly and not getting injured is enough to get in the United team these days there are some serious problems ahead.

I haven't seen anyone say they want him (Valencia) as first choice next season, that we need a new RB is almost accepted by everyone. I think the difference between them isn't as wide as other people make out. Rafael is better (particularly 12/13 he was very good) but the gap is not so great that he'll be a huge miss if he goes in the summer.
 
I haven't seen anyone say they want him (Valencia) as first choice next season, that we need a new RB is almost accepted by everyone. I think the difference between them isn't as wide as other people make out. Rafael is better (particularly 12/13 he was very good) but the gap is not so great that he'll be a huge miss if he goes in the summer.

At this stage, next season is irrelevant. In fact, picking your absolute best team now is critical to this and next season. If United finish outside the top 4 will they be able to attract a better right back than Rafael in the summer? Earning a morale boosting win over your top 4 rivals and being in the semi finals of the FA cup would have been a huge boost. That Valencia error was disastrous and was no surprise whatsoever.
 
It's a bit of a crazy idea but lately LvG and his staff seem to have changed things for the better in terms of injury problems. What if they diagnosed that Rafael has a muscular imbalance that causes him to pick up a lot of these injuries and he's currently working in the gym to correct the imbalance to prevent further injuries and to keep him match sharp he plays in a bit less competitive environment during the physical build up. I know the narrative currently is that LvG doesn't rate Rafael at all and this might very well be the case but maybe, just maybe it's something entirely different and is actually done as a measurement to prevent Rafael from getting injured every other game.
This crossed my mind when he'd been excluded for the first month or so. After this long though you wonder why LVG wouldn't come out and say if that was the reason. The silence makes me fear the worst.
 
So the answer is to play a winger or a centre back ahead of him? Valencia of course proved how to keep his concentration against Arsenal didn't he? He might not be the answer for LVG (disagree by the way) but he is by far the best right back we have and he should be played until a replacement can be brought in, its ridiculous to suggest otherwise.

Ivaldo anybody can make a mistake ala Valencia's short pass back but the truth is Rafael has made more mistakes than anybody at right back is inconsistent and rash and prone to switching off and also injury prone! Valencia has his faults but not that many in comparison.
 
I can only see the benefit of Valencia being stronger, when on form I'd say Rafael has better positioning attacking, equal speed.. Just can be rash and outmuscled by taller stronger opponents

Not sure I agree with equal speed. But the truth is Rafael is always injured and well over rated. Although a good player we need someone we can rely on.
 
Rafael was outstanding that season and we had a capable backup in Jones. RB was one of the least of our problems that season.
Jones was far from a capable backup. It was also the only season Rafael played over 30 games for us.

You also can't use one season in 5 or 6 years as a be all and end all to the argument.
Not sure I agree with equal speed. But the truth is Rafael is always injured and well over rated. Although a good player we need someone we can rely on.
Yeah, Rafael definitely isn't 'equally' as fast as Valencia.
 
Not sure I agree with equal speed. But the truth is Rafael is always injured and well over rated. Although a good player we need someone we can rely on.

The always injured thing I can't disagree with which is why I personally wouldn't depend on him but on his day he is very good