just that LvG doesnt rate him. Time to prove him wrong Rafael or you are the next one gone.
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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) 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?
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Only here is rated, if you put him on sale I don't think you can get more than 5 million.
So, is the sicknote available for the game tomorrow?
Please be back tomorrow. Such an improvement to our right-hand side offensively when he's in it.
He has barely played under LVG even in pre-season. Once he gets fit and plays a few games, LVG will love him. He has all the attributes needed to become a top notch wingback, just needs to mature and add composure to his game. Just hope he will get past his injury troubles.
Can't wait to see the difference he will bring. Instantly makes us a better side when he plays.
Anything less than £15m would be criminal, he is an excellent player and if he shook off the injuries he could become the top right back in the league.
I miss him so much.
He was the top right back in the league alongside Zabaleta last to last season when he stayed fit for the most part.
Why the hell would we sell him anyway. Aren't exactly overflowing with RB's.
It's depressing to read some of the comments regarding Rafael here.
During the last year, Utd has played quite a few awful games, but more than a lack of quality, it was the lack of urgency and energy in the team that bothered me.
Even when Ferguson was still in charge, there were games when the whole team just didn't give the impression to care enough to make an extra effort, even in games against Liverpool. Rafael always was and is the player who leads by example. The player who could go off the field early after getting injured, but you know for sure he won't go off the field without having given everything he has to get us a result.
He may run way out of position to finish his forward run by pressing the goalkeeper, but it motivates the players around him.
Is that really the kind of player we should be criticizing? The guy loves playing football, loves playing for Man Utd and will certainly be frustrated about the injuries.
Sure, he's injured too much, but I don't get how some can have so little respect for a player who always gives more than 100% and doesn't hide when things go wrong. If anything, we need more players like him (with less injuries of course)
During the last year, Utd has played quite a few awful games, but more than a lack of quality, it was the lack of urgency and energy in the team that bothered me.
Even when Ferguson was still in charge, there were games when the whole team just didn't give the impression to care enough to make an extra effort, even in games against Liverpool. Rafael always was and is the player who leads by example. The player who could go off the field early after getting injured, but you know for sure he won't go off the field without having given everything he has to get us a result.
He may run way out of position to finish his forward run by pressing the goalkeeper, but it motivates the players around him.
Is that really the kind of player we should be criticizing? The guy loves playing football, loves playing for Man Utd and will certainly be frustrated about the injuries.
Sure, he's injured too much, but I don't get how some can have so little respect for a player who always gives more than 100% and doesn't hide when things go wrong. If anything, we need more players like him (with less injuries of course)
We need more players with heart like Rafael, but we can do without the injuries. I don't see them getting better with age either. He's no good for us if he can't be there when we really need him. Im not saying sell, but we need to buy a more dependable player who can compete side by side with him for a spot (like Marcelo and Coentrao at Real).
We need this man back. Is there a timeline on his return or what's happening?
LVG said yesterday (I think) all the injured players except Carrick, will be back after the international break. Rafael and Shaw are the players we need back quickly.
I thought he was back in training, but he's going to need a while as he barely had a pre season.
That would be a huge boost if true.
Let's hope that is the case
"Van Gaal is the Hitler of the Brazilian players; he is arrogant, proud and has a problem," Marca quote Giovanni as saying.
But seriously, I think he's gonna be fine. Valencia seems like the type of player coaches love though. Hard working and athletic... although he obviously has his faults.
But seriously, I think he's gonna be fine. Valencia seems like the type of player coaches love though. Hard working and athletic... although he obviously has his faults.
I highly rate Rafael but I don't think he's the saviour to our wingback issues as some are making him out to be.
Even at his peak, his contributions in the attacking third were inconsistent to be honest. It doesn't make him a bad player, he's a right back not a winger, but he will be judged on the attacking side probably more than the defensive one and I can easily see him coming into a lot of criticism. Good player for us and I hope I'm wrong about this.
Even at his peak, his contributions in the attacking third were inconsistent to be honest. It doesn't make him a bad player, he's a right back not a winger, but he will be judged on the attacking side probably more than the defensive one and I can easily see him coming into a lot of criticism. Good player for us and I hope I'm wrong about this.
Valencia's flaws are so much more prominent without an overlapping Rafael to help hide them.
I don't think LvG rates him atm unfortunately (going by the rumours in the papers that he was one of those LvG told could leave), but I don't see how we wont if he gives him a run when he's fit. He plays with so much more urgency, passion and belief in himself than Valencia. For me, Shaw and Rafael on the flanks (whether at fullback or wingback) is a massive improvement on Young and Valencia.
I don't think LvG rates him atm unfortunately (going by the rumours in the papers that he was one of those LvG told could leave), but I don't see how we wont if he gives him a run when he's fit. He plays with so much more urgency, passion and belief in himself than Valencia. For me, Shaw and Rafael on the flanks (whether at fullback or wingback) is a massive improvement on Young and Valencia.
Yeah, like being absolutely shite at football.
Hes Evras replacement. The lovable full back who fuxking loves our club, plays with his heart and is damn good. He is our right side when hes fit and on form, much like Evra was our left side while he was here.
I think Shaw is even more limited attacking wise than Rafael actually right now.
But Rafael with more license to attack in this role will be a great improvement on Valencia. Though not as positionally disciplined.
I miss this little guy.
Hope he is back soon. Cannot take anymore Valencia.
If only he had Evra's immunity to injuries.
How so? He's very used to the right back role & given more freedom to venture forward would be beneficial to his game.I think Shaw is even more limited attacking wise than Rafael actually right now.
But Rafael with more license to attack in this role will be a great improvement on Valencia. Though not as positionally disciplined.
I miss this little guy.
Valencia bring very little to the team, is all right foot & pretty easy for fullbacks to contain. Raf can be an exceptional player when his head is on right & has all the attributes to be an exceptional wing back (bar being very prone to injury).
Would honestly hate to see him leave United as he's got an awful lot of talent & if he can stay fit is certainly one of the best right backs in the league.
Anyone who thinks Rafael will provide more attacking threat than Valencia in our current formation is deluded IMO. He's a fullback. He does his best work when the opposition is outnumbered and he can overlap.
Isolate him against two opposition players, with the only option being beating both of them on the dribble or picking out a static Juan Mata infield and people will soon realise what tough job Valencia has had this season.
Same applies to Shaw on the opposite flank, only more so (he's a less attacking fullback)
Isolate him against two opposition players, with the only option being beating both of them on the dribble or picking out a static Juan Mata infield and people will soon realise what tough job Valencia has had this season.
Same applies to Shaw on the opposite flank, only more so (he's a less attacking fullback)
You know, this wing back molarky isn't unique to United. There are plenty of wing backs who attack just fine without having another player overlapping.
It's all about timing and variety, actually being able to carry the ball inside as well as outside and knowing when you can make a run into the space behind their fullback and in turn forcing them back rather than fearing them exploiting the space in behind you.
At the moment, Valencia does one thing, not because that's the only physically possible thing that can be done, but because he is so painfully limited as a footballer that he can only do this. He has absolutely zero change pace on the ball and no guile whatsoever. His idea of beating a man is standing still, threatening to push the ball around them, before squaring it back to whoever is behind him.
You're a smart man, Pogue, I'm genuinely baffled that you cannot see how completely void of any ability Valencia is. It's not a case of people being harsh on him, it's two years of one dimensional crap from him.
I haven't watched a lot of 352 but I've never seen a wingback as isolated as Valencia was yesterday. On his own against two defenders every time he got the ball (apart from two incidents where a clever pass from Rooney finally created space). Not getting into a broader debate about his form in the last two seasons (which has not been good) but the current formation (how we use it anyway) woule make any winger look bad and a specialist fullback look absolutely hopeless.
What Rafael will do better than Valencia is 1)Cross first time better or cross better in general even if inconsistent sometimes. Valencia currently is sucking at this most importantly and sucking real bad. 2) Dribble little bit better to create space. 3) Make runs inside the channels actually which Rafael does even from fullback at times and take some shots. Here he will have more room to do this.
Think he is more suited to this role than Shaw is actually.
Valencia tbf has been pretty solid defensively and mantains width better. Rafael in that role will be more free and roaming inside slightly more and less of a physical presence.
He'll do well anyway though will need to adapt his runs and timing of it which he can.
I don't think you can blame just the formation. Valencia has looked awful on the right for some time, even with the support.
It's a shame because he was better when he first came. But I think it's a combination of him losing his confidence and aggression as well as defenders figuring him out.
I disagree - Valencia is a defensive liability and this was shown numerous times last year. He can get away with it a bit more in a 3-5-2 though of course.
Last year? When he played RB ? Yeah, he was caught out positionally a few times and in terms of tracking the runners deep but as a RWB this season he has been pretty solid defensively.
Young on whatever flank he plays looks way more dodgy and panicky in the defensive end.
Yeah fair enough.
He's been unimpressive, individually, but has helped bring the best out of Rafael. The one thing he has consistently done well the last two seasons has been slipping Rafael through with clever little passes around the box. Just don't see Rafael being anywhere near his best when he's stuck out on the wing on his own. Will be like that experiment we tried with Evra as a left winger. A player we all thought was a great attacking player looked utterly bereft of ideas when asked to lead from the front.
Could be true. Certainly another reason why I'm not keen on the 3-5-2 to be honest.
I love him can't wait for him to get back and i hope this 3-5-2 experiment stops because Rafael and Shaw will have a difficult time playing as Wingbacks rather than Fullbacks, him and Shaw as Fullbacks along with Di maria and Adnan on the wings as part of 4-3-3 will be soo exciting to watch we'd have abundance of place in the wide areas.
Agree, can't see Shaw and Rafael faring any bettter when they will be outnumbered every time they get the ball outwide. We need to drop this experiment and play a formation that our players, both new and old, are used to.
Most people are excited about Rafael and Shaw returning in the hope of that being the catalyst of a shift to 4-3-3 because we'll have fit full backs, LVG originally name dropped Di Maria as a winger, Young and Valencia as poor as they are happen to be wingers also so we have the players to play there.
I don't know. But Rafael is someone you can't dislike when he's fit. It's just frustrating that he's made from glass.
I don't know. But Rafael is someone you can't dislike when he's fit. It's just frustrating that he's made from glass.
Do we actually know where he is?
Where the feck is he?
Where the feck is he?
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