Your excitement at Rafael's display makes you forget that he's an injury prone player. We're going to need Valencia for now.
25
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 35
- Clean sheets
- 12
- Goals
- 0
- Assists
- 5
- Yellow cards
- 4
-
In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
Your excitement at Rafael's display makes you forget that he's an injury prone player. We're going to need Valencia for now.
His substitution was the right one, forced or not.
Shows that LVG is learning...
If nothing else Valencia adds toughness on the ball, something last weeks subs, Januzaj and especially on the 4th goal Mata and can lack.
Shows that LVG is learning...
If nothing else Valencia adds toughness on the ball, something last weeks subs, Januzaj and especially on the 4th goal Mata and can lack.
I do agree he needs to be sold, as a winger he's not good enough but with Rafa we need a back up. There are other wingers at the club that need to be sold, I do hope in January they are and we bring someone in. Valencia coming on today was the right move for us, playing him and Di Maria on the wings really helped us, it gave protection to the FB's and gave us the balance we needed being a man down. Question now is if we had another top winger would we drop 1 striker and play 4-3-3?
I guess we'll have to wait and see, I would like to see that happen, we would be more solid and I think our 2 main strikers (RVP and Falcao) would be better if they play as the lone target man (even though they are forming a good understanding of each other).
Change the thread title. Valencia is a good professional who works his ass off. Doesn't deserve mockery. He should probably move this summer and we bring in a real backup RB, but still.
Not good enough to start for us, but considering the midfield situation he may well play some of the big games for us away at RM with Herrera more centrally and only 2 out and out attackers up front.
Not good enough to start for us, but considering the midfield situation he may well play some of the big games for us away at RM with Herrera more centrally and only 2 out and out attackers up front.
No I agree and don't get me wrong I know Rafael is bound to get injured. I meant in January, lets bring in a proper right back who is serious competition for Rafael and knows how to put a cross in.
Amended.
I second that motio. I had hopes for Varela, thought he'd push Rafael this season, not glad we let him go to Real Madrid.
As poorly as he's played, his ability to sprint with the ball and get it into opposing territory was exactly what the doctor ordered. With Rafael being so fragile, we might hold onto him just to play as his backup.
I think this is why it's so important to have a player like Valencia in your squad. In certain situations, particularly the one yesterday, where we had to defend, Valencia had the energy to get back and help out Rafael, along with his ability to counter West Ham, which took a lot of pressure off us.
Man we are a fickle lot. Valencia has been garbage for two years and he has a cameo for ten minutes where he runs with the ball, does nothing but kills time and now he's receiving universal praise.
Granted, that's exactly what we needed in that situation but I promise you the next shit match he plays he'll again be consigned to the scrap heap by our fans. Our players are either brilliant or shit.
Granted, that's exactly what we needed in that situation but I promise you the next shit match he plays he'll again be consigned to the scrap heap by our fans. Our players are either brilliant or shit.
Agreed
What happened to the top 5 winger in the world who made PFA team of the year? Was taking the piss out of Bayern before Rafael got sent off! He used to be an absolutely devastating player to play against, especially on the counter. Can we please have that player back!
Very very useful player is situations like Saturday, plenty of energy to run around and park the bus if necessary. Not a bad squad player at all.
Very very useful player is situations like Saturday, plenty of energy to run around and park the bus if necessary. Not a bad squad player at all.
I'd like to see him be tried in holding midfield once. He plays there for Ecuador, he has a fine tackling ability but you have to see how he reads the game defensively.
Thanks.
On topic, he's a player definitely hurt by us not making the CL, where he could have given us some width against poor teams in the group stage and maybe some defensive minutes off the bench in the knockouts, and some starts in the Prem. Instead, he's just a squad player who doesn't make sense to bring on unless we're winning and need to see out a game.
That said, he'd probably be in my team to play Chelsea, in a narrow right-sided role:
-----Falcao----RVP-----
DiMaria-Herrera--Valencia
----------Blind----------
Shaw-Rojo--???-Rafael
Good lord is Costa going to tear us apart.
But, yeah I like the idea of letting Herrera run free a bit and hopefully getting wide either side of Matic and give him trouble, and we have another defensively useful midfielder out there rather than Mata or Januzaj, who can always come on later. But yeah, just play like Atletico Madrid, on the counter, and maybe we can sneak a win.
I think he's lost some pace. 29 and injury issues. Not unheard of at all for wide players.
Agreed.
In response to those who mock caftards who refuse to mercilessly trash Valencia, all anyone is suggesting here is that Valencia is a useful squad man now.
Man Utd 2:1 Everton
Playing very well today IMO. The role suits him, not expected to do a great deal with the ball and has protection behind him in the form of Rafa who is also offering the wide attacking threat he lacks.
Agree - Van Gaal seems to be on to something. Having a good game and looking like some confidence has returned.
That cross.
Gif -
Gif -
His defensive work this week and even for the last 20 against West Ham (which saw the game out for us) has been brilliant, he's trying through balls too now and scoop passes, I'm in shock.
He's been pretty smart and effective in his passing too, I'm very surprised and quite pleased by him today.
Been solid on the ball and very disciplined in his role. Complements Di Maria pretty well and he's always linked up well with Rafael.
I've been incredibly surprised by the effectiveness of Valencia in his new role. What makes him effective is that he's as strong as an ox and has a good turn of pace which will work against technical players in midfield like Pienaar and Besic. Make the simple passes and let Rafael fly by. He's been perfect. VAN GAAL IS A GENIUS.
This is why I've always said Valencia should play as a box to box midfielder. He's played very well today, and so far, it seems to be right choice by Van Gaal putting him in for Herrera, as he's got the same energy levels and gets stuck in.
Better in CM than at RB or on the wing that's for sure. The only real disappointing moment was when he had to do some typical wing play ...
I don't know why people are surprised at Valencia doing well in this kind of role. He's always been good at keeping the ball and in physical battles.
He's been ok, nothing special. Do rate him a lot more than most however.
He's been quite solid, though i did find it funny when he done his trademark run up the pitch and look clueless when it came to creating something. Hammered it against the full back is almost seen as an achievement for him.
For all the laughing at his selection in the match thread he's been perfectly good, that cross aside. Rarely ever gives the ball away, puts in tackles and breaks up the play well.
Offers very little offensively so is a big downgrade from Herrera in the same role, but he's played fine positionally helping Rafael down that flank with Baines which is why I expect he was picked more than for his attacking side.
Not bad but still indecisive in attack at times. Fortunately in this system we're not relying on him to produce something in attack so it's not a major negative.
Pleasantly surprising performance so far.
It's tailor made for him, it plays to his strengths while taking his weakest responsibilities away from him.
I think he's found his new position, very tidy and trustworthy in possession. Pleased with his performance in that half. Not quite Herrera but much happier with him in there than Fletcher. Could prove to be decent cover.
Doing his role perfectly so far i.e to provide solidity in the team and keeping the flow moving.
Actually playing ok so far, maybe we can convert him to CM seen as though he is useless as a winger, he has pace, is stronger than an ox, has a good engine, can tackle and win headers. He is linking up with rafa quite well so far, hope he can continue into the second half.
We do love our average players don't we?
Absolutely. He's a strong man with the ability to turn, which is exactly what this team needed after we lost the ever so mobile Herrera. Converting him from a sub-par winger into a solid midfielder would be a genius move from Van Gaal.
I am honestly shocked of how well he has played today. Hes does not set the world alight going forward, but has added some steel to out MF and has carried out his defensive duties admirably. Well done Tony