Clearly lacking match sharpness.
2
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 11
- Clean sheets
- 4
- Goals
- 0
- Assists
- 1
- Yellow cards
- 2
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
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Love the kneejerk reactions after 45 minutes of football where the whole team's performance dropped. Especially Charleysurf who usually can't wait to throw in a dig at Rafael.
He had a role in some of our most dangerous moves of the second half, what few there were.
Stoke will probably adopt a similar approach to Tottenham in the second half, and given how the 3-5-2 coped with such we might see a change in tactics, a decision which could suit Rafael.
Stoke will probably adopt a similar approach to Tottenham in the second half, and given how the 3-5-2 coped with such we might see a change in tactics, a decision which could suit Rafael.
Is it? The only chance we created on the second half was from his cross. If I am not mistaken, that was also his only cross today.
Clearly not fit. Thought he was relatively poor but who wasn't in that abomination of a second half.
He's a terrible crosser. When he does get it right he can put in a great ball but 9 out of 10 are dreadful. Either terribly scuffed or ballooned over everyone.
I don't think he's a good crosser. Improvement on Valencia, but he's not really great.
Yea, i meant wing back. Edited.
With no overlap for him to use he struggled a bit but did put one on a plate for Mata.
I will always be a fan because I can see lots ability in him but his lack of cleverness is a real weakness to the team.
Needs to be smarter, but to be fair we have a few players like this. Rafa's just the worst of the bunch though.
Needs to be smarter, but to be fair we have a few players like this. Rafa's just the worst of the bunch though.
My opinion is formed by more than 1 game. Also that particular cross was clearly a scuff
Good, not great.
I dont even know what to say to that. Calling Rafael a terrible crosser and saying 90% of his crosses are dreadful is plain wrong. Even today, he put a wonderful ball in for Mata.
You must be watchin too many highlights. He'll put in the odd beauty but he's ridiculously wasteful. He's said himself that he has to improve his crossing
During Rafael's 6-8 game run earlier in the season he and Di Maria were arguably our two most creative outlets, so some of the responses in here are really quite remarkable.
How does him saying he has to improve his crossing make him a terrible crosser? He's not a great crosser so yeah, he can definitely improve in that regard. Calling him terrible is plain nonsense though.
Lack match sharpness, but he still dives in unnecessarily, at times. Glad he's back, though. Although Valencia and Young have been great at wingback, with Rafael and now Shaw back, hopefully we'll go back to a back four.
It's always the same when a player comes back from injury. They look rusty and plenty of the people with agendas are straight on their back. Give Rafael a few games to get his fitness and I'm sure they will all drop back into hiding until the next time he has a bad game.
Bit crap. Bit rusty. Would like to see him start the next game though. Valencia's looking very leggy.
Nah, give him a few games before he gets injured.
Shocking but hasn't played for a while.
Utlimatley he will play his way back into form and be lauded as the best RB in the league before getting injured again.
Same old Rafael.
Utlimatley he will play his way back into form and be lauded as the best RB in the league before getting injured again.
Same old Rafael.
As has been said, a bit rusty and that was a hard game for him to come into. It was quick, feisty and he needed his touch and wits about him which he didn't really have.
For a player that many consider should be starting wing back for us, basically the only outlet on the right hand side, it's terrible.
His strength is as a fullback in a back 4 overlapping his winger as a spare man. When he has to try and beat a man to make space to cross a ball when running at pace he's very poor.
I want to give him the benefit of the doubt after being out for so long but he's so reckless most of the time anyway...
Valencia doesn't create enough down the right and Rafael can be a liability and is so injury prone I wouldn't be surprised if we strengthened there in the window.
Valencia doesn't create enough down the right and Rafael can be a liability and is so injury prone I wouldn't be surprised if we strengthened there in the window.
Not a particularly impressive performance but then there weren't any in that second half. I still much prefer him to Valencia as you have some hope he could do something exciting when he picks up the ball, even if he does take more risks in the process.
Didn't look great against Newcastle and Spurs but to be expected after coming back from such a long layoff. Contingency plans need to be made in the summer though if Rafael doesn't get his shit sorted as he isn't that good that he can't be replaced.
There arent many Baines's around. I dont know how you can call his crossing terrible. How many RBs are out there who are better crossers? Must be plenty seeing as he's "terrible".
The 2nd part of your post is true for most fullbacks. Actually feel Rafael's good in that regard too, more often than not, he makes a yard for himself and gets the ball in.
He comes on, kicks/fouls someone gets booked, gets injured. That's Rafael in a nut shell. I stand by my comment.
He made two fouls. Not really a big deal, albeit the second one was particularly silly. We were giving away too many as a team during the last twenty minutes.
Injuries are a probem, yes, you're right. And I stand by what I said. Liability is nonsense, most certainly after 45 minutes of football in a very tough game.
he does give away fouls...but it was very good to have the lad back. Valencia has done a job in his absence...but I still prefer Rafael.
We will be a better team once he gets sharp. Today he was poor but deserves some time to get back to his best. It's not like he's a big downgrade on Valencia anyway, who was beating his man with ease but then offered no end product.
Obviously I'm in the minority, but I thought it was a breath of fresh air to have him on the pitch after one dimensional Valencia. Actually was trying to create things, picking early passes etc
Obviously a bit rusty, but what do people expect?
People have such high expectations for certain players that when they don't immediately match them, they can't wait to criticise. That's why Nani has no chance unless he performs like Ronaldo every week, but Young just has to avoid diving to get an 8 rating.
Obviously a bit rusty, but what do people expect?
People have such high expectations for certain players that when they don't immediately match them, they can't wait to criticise. That's why Nani has no chance unless he performs like Ronaldo every week, but Young just has to avoid diving to get an 8 rating.
I thought he was pretty poor, but he's lacking sharpness due to fitness, he still gives away pathetic, idiotic freekicks where a more deft player like Carrick would just stand off half a yard and cut off a passing lane rather than try and go through the player to win the ball in area's that aren't immediately dangerous.
Was poor but, as others have said, a lot of that was down to rustiness.
Not sure why that brief cameo would change anyone's opinions of Rafael.
Anyway, Valencia could use a break so we'd better take advantage of Rafael's return to fitness while we can.
Not sure why that brief cameo would change anyone's opinions of Rafael.
Anyway, Valencia could use a break so we'd better take advantage of Rafael's return to fitness while we can.
Good to see him back. Have to laugh at some of the reactions on here though.
I think in a few weeks of games, he will get that sharpness back and nail down a spot, hopefully the same with Shaw so we can revert to a back four.
I think in a few weeks of games, he will get that sharpness back and nail down a spot, hopefully the same with Shaw so we can revert to a back four.
Nani has had more chances than most! And no one expects him to play like Ronaldo every week or in fact any week.
No it wasn't. He had a few, and its annoying that he never looks up when he crosses. He just hits it. Even the chance he created in the second half came from a Valencia-like blind cross into the box. Also, he's a decent dribbler with decent pace but he seldom tries to take on players. He's capable of much better than today, he needs fitness.
Hope he starts against Stoke.. Much better going forward than Valencia.
Rafael's been free from injury for what, nearly a month? I don't know if he saw any action with the reserves/U-21s but given a time and a little luck he'll be back to the influential player the team had earlier on this season.
How he manages to pick out Rooney here must be down to his concealed psychic abilities then.
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