Antonio Valencia... | Will wear #25 shirt from this point onwards by request

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Aaron said:
You think Ronaldo played wide left do you?
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Did you not watch us?

Ronaldo played on both flanks much like Nani, sometimes even interchanging mid-game.

If Nani is in the form he has been for all of this season, he starts the big games. It's pretty much as simple as that barring some specific tactical move. You don't drop your best players.
 
And the truth is that both Giggs and Park compete for that position on the left especially in the bigger European games. And also Rooney's sometimes put there too, usually when Giggs is playing and Fergie swaps them and has Giggs in the middle and Rooney wide left.

But of course none of that ever happened last year. Oh wait...it did.
 
Aaron said:
And the truth is that both Giggs and Park compete for that position on the left especially in the bigger European games. And also Rooney's sometimes put there too, usually when Giggs is playing and Fergie swaps them and has Giggs in the middle and Rooney wide left.

But of course none of that ever happened last year. Oh wait...it did.
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Ok I'll put it this way.

Nani and Valencia will start if both are fit and in form. (unless we want to rotate)

If Valencia isn't then Nani and Park can take his place.

If Nani isn't then Giggs and Park can take his place.

Nani is our best midfielder though, so I see him as first choice, right or left, subject to form and fitness.
 
And I think the chief meant 07-08, that year Ronnie played LOTS of times on the left including the CL final.

If you actually denying that Ronaldo played a lot on the left for United then you really are in a World of your own.
 
Sharky7 said:
Quick question Aaron, did you used to be one of the guys that constantly slagged off Nani?
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I don't see that it particularly matters. I'm basing my opinion on how Fergie organised the team last season.

I'm not saying anything outlandish by saying that for my money Valencia will be first choice on the right and Nani, if moved left, will face stiff competition.

All this 'Do you hate Nani' and pseudo-'are you a top red' bollocks, I've got no time for.

My opinion is far from hysterical yet the reaction to it from some seems to be very much so.
 
Sharky7 said:
And I think the chief meant 07-08, that year Ronnie played LOTS of times on the left including the CL final.

If you actually denying that Ronaldo played a lot on the left for United then you really are in a World of your own.
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I was in a world where what happened three seasons ago isn't really relevant to what we're speaking of now.
 
Aaron said:
I don't see that it particularly matters. I'm basing my opinion on how Fergie organised the team last season.
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Of course it matters. And by not answering my question, you have answered the question.

Aaron said:
I'm not saying anything outlandish by saying that for my money Valencia will be first choice on the right and Nani, if moved left, will face stiff competition.
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And that's where you're wrong, our 2 first choice wingers will be Nani and Valencia, considering the fact that most people put Nani up as one of the league's POTY tells you that he will be first choice. Just because he may move Nani to the left doesn't mean he's choosing Valencia over him, it's because Valencia can't play left!

Aaron said:
All this 'Do you hate Nani' and pseudo-'are you a top red' bollocks, I've got no time for
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What the feck does that even mean? explain?

Aaron said:
My opinion is far from hysterical yet the reaction to it from some seems to be very much so.
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Nani has been our best attacker all season, he's won us plenty of games on his own, I'd go as far as saying that without him we wouldn't be anywhere near where we are in the league. And then.... 2 games into Valencia's return you believe Nani will be dropped and you also think he'll find it tough to get in the team next year when CLEVERLEY returns... that's pretty fecking hysterical and stinks of a poster who used to slag off Nani incessantly and is clinging on to some hope that he'll finally be proven right instead of just hoping that our 2 best wingers can shine together.
 
Can't wait to see Valencia back in the side on a regular basis. The suggestion that as a result Nani will be rested / dropped / rotated more frequently though is wide of the mark.

Nani has firmly established himself as a key player for us and arguably our most influential attacking player.
 
Aaron said:
I don't see that it particularly matters. I'm basing my opinion on how Fergie organised the team last season.

I'm not saying anything outlandish by saying that for my money Valencia will be first choice on the right and Nani, if moved left, will face stiff competition.

All this 'Do you hate Nani' and pseudo-'are you a top red' bollocks, I've got no time for.

My opinion is far from hysterical yet the reaction to it from some seems to be very much so.
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Not really. You're basing it off feck all really whereas others are basing theirs off what's actually been happening on the pitch. If you can't see that Nani has become one of the first names on the team sheet and is clearly capable of playing on both flanks, then there is no helping you.
 
WeasteDevil said:
Bu bu bu but.... he's on the right!



Do you know how to put your shoes on?
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If that went in, would've been remembered as one of the great goals football has ever seen.. its the sort of goal I can envisage us scoring against Barca but with Nani delivering the cross and Hernandez actually putting it away. Epitomises United, back to wall and then a moment of brilliance, breathtaking speed and before you know it we've scored.
 
amolbhatia100 said:
Not really. You're basing it off feck all really whereas others are basing theirs off what's actually been happening on the pitch. If you can't see that Nani has become one of the first names on the team sheet and is clearly capable of playing on both flanks, then there is no helping you.
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Spot on.

These claims are utterly bizarre that Valencia's return will somehow have an adverse affect on Nani's position within the team, the same Nani that has been one of the stand out players in the Premiership this season.
 
amolbhatia100 said:
Not really. You're basing it off feck all really whereas others are basing theirs off what's actually been happening on the pitch. If you can't see that Nani has become one of the first names on the team sheet and is clearly capable of playing on both flanks, then there is no helping you.
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Exactly.

Basing it on last season (which is what Aaron has said he's doing) is irrelevant and in fact if 1 is to be dropped in favour of the other it would be Valencia warming the bench, much like he did during small spells last season when Nani was playing so well on the right.
 
This has all the ingredients to brew into another gay Tevez v Berba debate, just be glad we have them both instead of forming rival fanboy camps. Both stunning players and if we find a way to get the best out of them both at the same time without having to compromise their natural style of play, we'll all be better for it.
 
Coincidence that Rooney has been not himself for almost a year considering that Tony V has been out that same time and now that he is back Rooney is looking more like himself?

Perhaps Rooney just needed the object of his affection back and all those prossies were to make Antonio jealous? Can't blame him though, Antonio makes me drool when he patrols up and down the right wing for us.
 
Shimo said:
Coincidence that Rooney has been not himself for almost a year considering that Tony V has been out that same time and now that he is back Rooney is looking more like himself?

Perhaps Rooney just needed the object of his affection back and all those prossies were to make Antonio jealous? Can't blame him though, Antonio makes me drool when he patrols up and down the right wing for us.
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Nar, Rooney just needed to play with Hernandez, a player that creates space for him, rather than the other fella who likes to stand in the same space.
 
Aye, because Rooney's been in such poor form for years now...
 
Sharky7 said:
Nar, Rooney just needed to play with Hernandez, a player that creates space for him, rather than the other fella who likes to stand in the same space.
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How does Hernandez affect Rooney's touch and execution?
 
cw1984 said:
How does Hernandez affect Rooney's touch and execution?
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If anything it just allows him to express his range of passing better. But yeah, his touch improving is all about confidence and form. When he's off pace he spends large portion of the game trying to maintain possession rather than affecting the game in an attacking sense. Last couple of games he hasn't had to think about that, hes just gone about expressing himself.
 
cw1984 said:
How does Hernandez affect Rooney's touch and execution?
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He creates space for him to work in, and Rooney thrives in that space, whereas Berba tries to share the same space.

It's the same reason Rooney was better when played with Ruud, and then the Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez mix, he needs space to work in (although I still think his best years were with Ruud and Saha and then own his last year). It's also why his best games last year came on his own up front.
 
Rooneys form has been improving gradually for a few weeks now, way before Valencia returned. Plus he's not even playing in the same position that he played in last season where he linked up with Valencia so well, so I don't think it's got anything to do with that.

I also don't think his improved form has that much to do with Hernandez either, although it has made some impact. Stretching the defence means there is going to be more space for Rooney to operate in.

Earlier on in the season at times Rooney was desperately struggling to even keep the ball, let alone impact the game positively, wouldn't of made a difference if Hernandez or whoever was alongside him. The improvement in form is down to Rooney himself.
 
Sharky7 said:
Nar, Rooney just needed to play with Hernandez, a player that creates space for him, rather than the other fella who likes to stand in the same space.
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That explanation would work if Rooney's return to form began when he was first paired with Hernandez.

It didn't.

It began several weeks ago. When he was still playing alongside Berbatov.

He's been excellent in our last couple of home games but no better than he against, say, Brum or Villa at Old Trafford a couple of months back.
 
Pogue Mahone said:
It began several weeks ago. When he was still playing alongside Berbatov.
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Did it, I mean when did we play shitty? cause goal aside his touch and game was awful that day.

We played Crawley and he came on second half and was equally poor but without the genius goal.

Am I wrong or was this just a couple of weeks back?
 
Sharky7 said:
see above post.
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It makes more sense on paper arguably but the fact remains Rooney had his best ever season last year with Berbatov as his chief supporter, and together they've scored 54 goals in the last two years when started together - regardless of what partnership you prefer, or what looks nicer, or what has more potential...Rooney and Berbatov were very effective together at various points and it resulted in them both being league top scorers in this season and last, so they were obviously doing something right.

As for most of Rooney's best performances being without Berbatov - he scored around 3/4 of his goals with Berbatov in the team last season, and vice-versa with Berbatov this season.
 
Pogue Mahone said:
That explanation would work if Rooney's return to form began when he was first paired with Hernandez.

It didn't.

It began several weeks ago. When he was still playing alongside Berbatov.

He's been excellent in our last couple of home games but no better than he against, say, Brum or Villa at Old Trafford a couple of months back.
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or Blackburn and Valencia back in November/December

Rooney was outstanding in those games.
 
Brwned said:
As for most of Rooney's best performances being without Berbatov - he scored around 3/4 of his goals with Berbatov in the team last season, and vice-versa with Berbatov this season.
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And we can all bend stats to strengthen our arguments... although I'm pretty sure you'll find it tough to find someone who DOESN'T think Rooney was better up front alone last year.
 
Sharky7 said:
Did it, I mean when did we play shitty? cause goal aside his touch and game was awful that day.
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He's been getting steadily better over the last few months but, as with most things, there's been ups and downs along the way. He was poor against City but he was very good in the two games I mentioned above.

There are other examples, too, going back even further. I actually think his best performance of the season was arguably WBA away. Although that probably stands out because most of his team-mates didn't play very well and he seemed to take it on himself to beat them single-handedly.

EDIT: Blackburn and Valencia are also good examples, as Treble said.
 
Sharky7 said:
And we can all bend stats to strengthen our arguments... although I'm pretty sure you'll find it tough to find someone who DOESN'T think Rooney was better up front alone last year.
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Try bending the stats to show how Rooney was better on his own last year then...

It's pretty hard to bend something that isn't there to begin with.
 
Basically it's ridiculous to imply Rooney has suddenly improved only since he started playing alongside Hernandez. The exact moment he started to show his true form is up for debate but it certainly wasn't the very last week in February.

Personally, I've seen a slow and steady improvement from the moment he signed the contract. A few duff performances here and there, usually away from home and invariably when the rest of the team is also playing shite but Rooney himself has clearly been on an upward trend going back at least 3 months, probably longer.
 
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