that's a joke.
he is better defensively at his job than any of our other defender apart from Shaw, maybe. And he is less of a liability than any of the others, and better at attacking
Rafael?!
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he is better defensively at his job than any of our other defender apart from Shaw, maybe. And he is less of a liability than any of the others, and better at attacking
Yeah being elbowed in the jaw happens every week
By the look of things Both LVG and him were involved. Anyway, he'll probably be sold before you spell his name properly.
By the look of things Both LVG and him were involved. Anyway, he'll probably be sold before you spell his name properly.
Well spotted, I didn't even see that. Feck knows what happened there.
I don't want to see Rafa sold either but it does have a feeling of the inevitable about it now. Mind you I have given up trying to second guess LvG, this Summers outgoings could almost be as interesting as the incomings.
I miss him. That drive and determination.
And there have been times this season where fiery characters like him are just what the team has needed out there. LVG needs to tap into those players with ingenuity and encourage them to express it, give the opposition something to worry over before they've even walked onto the pitch.
I like Rafael but saying he is the best right-back we have is pointless sine we don't really have others. Whilst he has cut it out a lot, his reputation precedes him and he still does have moments of brain-farts.
Fans like to watch him because he plays with a swashbuckling manner that is easy on the eye. However, our current manager places more emphasis on system, discipline and function which unless is some that Rafael absorbs quick, he is liable to lose his spot to Valencia who does seem to be able to adhere to instructions better, though i don't understand why he keeps smashing those low crosses.
Fans like to watch him because he plays with a swashbuckling manner that is easy on the eye. However, our current manager places more emphasis on system, discipline and function which unless is some that Rafael absorbs quick, he is liable to lose his spot to Valencia who does seem to be able to adhere to instructions better, though i don't understand why he keeps smashing those low crosses.
Danilo Da Silva would be a perfect replacement for him
such a likeable guy but he's not progressed the way we'd hoped
he has been a liability defensively at times and Valencia has strangely looked more solid despite the positional issues he faced last year
Rafael hasn't really been in the side since brainfreezes against Leicester which cost us 3 points and a few mistakes in other games which directly led to goals
If i remember correctly he played for the U21s last week against Everton and was subbed off after nearly getting sent off so not sure he has covered himself in glory when trying to get into the team
he has been a liability defensively at times and Valencia has strangely looked more solid despite the positional issues he faced last year
Rafael hasn't really been in the side since brainfreezes against Leicester which cost us 3 points and a few mistakes in other games which directly led to goals
If i remember correctly he played for the U21s last week against Everton and was subbed off after nearly getting sent off so not sure he has covered himself in glory when trying to get into the team
We have missed him in the first XI
Can people point out all of these times he has been a "defensive liability" in the past few seasons? I remember being annoyed at him giving the penalty away vs Liverpool in 2014 but he is defensively fine IMO. He just hasn't been able to shake that "dodgy defensively" tag that he (correctly) had during his first few seasons here.
He in fact played our next four games, with WhoScored having him as their MOTM in the game immediately following Leicester. Vardy's dive was Rafael's brainfreeze?
I'm sorry but your post is sadly typical of the disinformation posted by some people when it comes to Rafael. It's perfectly possible to make a constructive point with regard to a player, no need to descend to outright falsehoods.
Rafael was rash on Vardy....he deserved a foul himself and as soon as he stood up I knew he would do something stupid.... I obviously didn't take a note of the games following and what the issues were - the Chelsea match springs to mind as he lost Drogba for their goal
West Brom away - trying to play offside and Beharino scoring their second
I distinctly remember him making a few mistakes directly leading to goals - those three are all in the space of about 3 weeks
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He lost drogba... Why don't you ask yourself why he was put on marking him in the first place jeez. Some utter shite in this thread as usual. Preferring the boring so called reliable Valencia is one of the reasons we have been so predictable and shit to watch this season.
no i agree with you on the instructions from management - despite this it wasn't like he was done for height with a towering header...it was movement which caught him out
nonetheless in the space of about 5 games he was involved in us conceding 4 goals - rash against Leicester, lost his man at a corner vrs West Ham, 3 yards behind the rest of the defence against West Brom to play on Beharino and lost Drogba at that corner.....
if that is "utter shite" i'd ask you to watch you tube and tell me i'm wrong - this is all in 7 starts as well and i havent dug into all his performances
reality is, and its more an indication on how Rafael hasn't progressed, is that Valencia has been more defensively solid
Do you per chance mean shadowing but not actually making contact with an opposing forward, who then took a dive in the penalty area?
You're being awfully silly here.
But your original post stated with some certainty that he didn't even feature afterwards?
I thought that error was attributed to the CBs.
If you are going to sit there nit picking absolutely everything then we would be here all day discussing the rest of our players and the mistakes they have made. Using the Chelsea goal against him is ridiculous. Berahino was jones all the way, being rash and clueless like against Newcastle and West Ham. Rafael is being treated unfairly by LVG and shoving him in the reserves when others go straight back into the team is insulting. If Valencia being solid causes us to be hopeless going forward which in effect causes us to miss out on top four then please yourself. It's going to happen. Even worse McNair is playing fecking right back and he's terrible there.
firstly I'm not nitpicking - I'm pointing to mistakes that Rafael made which contributed to goals over a period of 4/5 games
I'm a fan of Rafael, I'm just disappointed he hasn't progressed - by now I'd want to see more composure and maturity in his defending and he doesn't show it - he's too rash and it's all to evident in his play
In being responsible for those goals - looking at all our right backs form Valencia has been more solid defensively - there's no denying that - Rafael hasn't been as reliable from a fitness point of view either - playing Valencia there is a short term option but it does give you an impression that LVG doesn't trust him
Mc Nair is a different question all together and I'd like to see Rafael play ahead of him
LVG is a stubborn sob, probably still holds that 2010 Bayern game against Rafael. Jones is more rash than anyone in our team yet he walks back in every time he's back off the treatment table. Like I said, I think he's been treated unfairly here and LVG is just too stubborn to do anything about it, like Herrera for weeks, playing shoddy tactics and whatever else he's been doing.
you're absolutely right, he's our best player as RB both defensively and attacking wise. LVG just settled on Valencia as he is little more athletic type of player who can perhaps optically cover more ground than Rafael whose stamina is awesome as well btw, but that's the reason why he prefers Valencia, but the main one obviously he stays fit, he's one of those injury free players like Evra..
but Rafael never had a big problem with playing straight away after some time sidelined, he is quite consistent performer and unlucky that he's brazilian, if he was english he would have been already new gary neville and one mistake here and there let's forget it and blame some other non english players..
I agree with Herrera who has played well and deserves his place - the opposite applies for players who are selected regardless of how well they have played (RVP/Falcao etc)
Rafael was on a par with Zabaletta as the PL's best in Fergie last season.....he hasn't played at that level since Fergie left and he's been more comparable with someone like Glen Johnson
hopefully he can fight and get his place back - He'd need to be a lot more reliable from a defensive point of view to keep his place though
Jones is more rash but surely receives fewer bookings and gives up fewer penalties than Rafael. Considering what happened at Leicester, as poor a call as it was, and going back to that Bayern game I'm not surprised if LVG is leaving him out simply to avoid the risk.
I like Rafael a lot as a player. He's exciting going forward but honesty his crosses and shooting are often very wayward. I'd say he and Valencia are about equal there but Toni just shades it on athleticism and reliability. The latter is seemingly very important to LVG right now and with good reason.
Defensively he's certainly tenacious but the rashness is always there. Maybe it's not his fault, I remember Gary Neville having a bit of a reputation for giving up silly fouls a lot, too. Something inherent in the United way?
I like Rafa a lot but most people here think he's better than he actually is, there's always been a question mark with him and with our central defence in the shambles that it is, I wouldn't risk him at RB. Secondly, he's very unreliable, we have coped very well without him, so, I don't know what the fuss is all about.
You didn't watch the game this weekend then?
Fair enough play Valencia ahead of him, as he was doing ok, but McNair, nah thats taking the piss.
I did, McNair had a bad game, like every player does but Valencia is there and has been fine there.
Valencia has done fairly well, but McNair should never start at right back over Rafael. That's just ridiculous.
Valencia is doing fine, but as an attacking force - which these days is just as important for a full back - it's the same old with him being so limited.
No-one in our squad should be starting at RB over Rafael. He's been fit for ages and our team lacks that something extra without him. Some of it is his enthusiasm and tenacity but a lot of it is his drive, he gets us on the front foot, his fight - Jonny Evans described it as infectious, that when you see Rafa fighting for every ball you don't want to give anything away either. His link up play around the box is something else we could do with. Any United line up would be better with Rafael in it. I'm all for playing youngsters. I love that we give youth a chance here, but I can't see a single reason why McNair is starting games at RB when Rafael is starting games for the reserves. It's a joke.
He's not playing for the reserves tonight. We'll either see him on Saturday or he's injured again.
Yes was thinking that. Maybe he's done what he needed to do in training and worked his way into the team. Would be good to see what he could offer the team as that RB slot is crying out for some quality. Let's hope Rafael can come back and perform.
To think a few seasons ago he had a firing Gareth Bale in his pocket on a few occasions. Maybe his potential has been fulfilled. I would like to see him get another run in the team. maybe with a Valencia or Young in front of him so he can get a bit of cover and doesn't have to be as adventurous either.
Guys don't worry. I just got out from watching Whiplash and it all became very clear to me - LVG is searching for the next Charlie Parker at RB and will push Rafael to his limits to see if it's him. Any day now, he'll hold an ironman keepy up session til 2am along with Valencia and McNair, and Rafael, at this point with his fleet covered in blood and barely able to stay conscious, will win.
This some how popped up on my suggestions, made me miss him even more.
No you are. Absolving Rafael of all blame for that penalty just because Vardy dived doesn't work at all.
Rafael was frustrated (rightly so) at not getting the foul but then acted completely impulsively by rushing back and getting close enough to Vardy in the box that Vardy could convincingly fall and make it look like a dive.
If he doesn't go charging in, Vardy doesn't fall. That simple.
God, I wish he didn't have such a bad run of injuries. Rafael was well on his way to becoming the most exciting fullback in football.
Really hope he's not on his way out, and that he gets a chance to show what he can do towards the end of this season.
And matherto, you're mental if you think Rafael did anything wrong in trying to get back. You cannot get within a yard of any attacker in the box if that's how it's supposed to be. I'm fecking sick of people trying to blame Rafael for that one.
Any time somebody dives and wins a peno, it's the fault of the defebder being close enough to an attacker for him to make a meal of it? Pfft.
Really hope he's not on his way out, and that he gets a chance to show what he can do towards the end of this season.
And matherto, you're mental if you think Rafael did anything wrong in trying to get back. You cannot get within a yard of any attacker in the box if that's how it's supposed to be. I'm fecking sick of people trying to blame Rafael for that one.
Any time somebody dives and wins a peno, it's the fault of the defebder being close enough to an attacker for him to make a meal of it? Pfft.
I really hope he is back in the fold. After McNair's performance he at least should be on the bench. Drives me insane that people say he is rash and use that Leicester game as an example. Was a clear dive by Vardy with Rafael doing nothing wrong.
It's that fire we've been missing now for ages. We've got no cojones in the team since they lynched Rooney. Rojo's a bit dirty, but Rafael's drive is infectious. We need him back.
I just can't fathom this way of thinking. HE DID NOTHING WRONG! Vardy cheating and the referee being shit isn't Rafael's fault.
We miss the aggression he brings to our game, at the moment with Valencia at full back our whole game stops while he thinks about whether to play the 4 yard square pass or smash the ball at the nearest defender. Rafael is inventive and forward thinking, there's an instant injection of urgency in our play when he gets the ball and that's exactly what we need right now.
A lot of agenda driven posting in here, reminds me of the old man who hasn't liked Rafael since day 1 even when he's put in stretches of unbelievable play.
Calling him a liability is outrageous. Unreliable perhaps given last season but that was an extreme. He's a better defender than any of the others apart from Shaw and they've all proved equally fragile.
If we're now resorting to playing Valencia at right back just because he can stay fit then i worry.
Calling him a liability is outrageous. Unreliable perhaps given last season but that was an extreme. He's a better defender than any of the others apart from Shaw and they've all proved equally fragile.
If we're now resorting to playing Valencia at right back just because he can stay fit then i worry.
He's not slow, ponderous or methodical enough for our manager.