Valencia had a good game. I've hated the player he's become over the past two seasons but let's be objective here. If Herrera gets injured and he can come in and do a job like that every game then, in most games, he'll be more than acceptable. Of course, he has no place in our line up as a winger.
25
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 35
- Clean sheets
- 12
- Goals
- 0
- Assists
- 5
- Yellow cards
- 4
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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.
Preach on, brother!
This tendency to defend old opinions to the bitter end is the worst thing about the football forums.
It's really strange.
I'm as bad as the next caftard when it comes to having some players I criticise more than others. When they play bad I'm probably quicker to make a critical post than I would be about a player who I think is usually solid but just had a bad day. However, it blows my mind the way some people insist on sticking the boot into certain players even after a game in which they've actually played reasonably well. Makes me wonder what game they've actually been watching. If nothing else, it makes them looke really clueless, so why would anyone want to do that?
Be careful. You're being just as over the top as I allegedly was.
And yes, of course players deserve praise for playing well. Obviously. Believe it or not, I don't consider myself a troll... But my opinion simply is that he didn't do anything that special against Everton, and given his previous two years of performances here, one above average outing (by his recent standards) doesn't change my opinion that we would be best without him.
You don't see me trashing players here. However, a few players have worn their welcome here and those in my opinion are Anderson, Nani, Young and Valencia.
This is hardly rocket science, and it's certainly not abuse.
If you really think that's the worst thing about football forums, you haven't been here for longer than 2 hours.
... Says a guy who joined in December 2013 to a guy from 2010.
I think sites like this attract people who love to be right. It's not so much a discussion forum as an "I told you so" forum.
We all love football and all want to prove that we're experts on the game. What better way than to put some spotty, 14 year old in Malaysia in his place?
Your opinion on him has been polluted so much that you are most likely incapable of giving him praise when it's deserved, either that or you didn't watch the game and have come to your conclusion purely on previous misdemeanours.
He was very good against Everton, was he MOTM? No, however he was playing in a position he rarely plays, yet was involved in much of our attacking play, he done his job defensively and looked more like the Valencia of old.
A player can be rejuvenated under a new manager or a new system, if we can get him anywhere near the form he showed during the 2011/12 season then he will be a valuable asset to the team, we will most certainly not be better off without him as you suggested.
Some fans nowadays have zero patience with players and ridicule them for making mistakes or having an off day and want them out of the club without just cause. Granted, he hasn't been great for the last couple of seasons but he has played well so far this season, and that's all that matters. Don't get me wrong I've been as frustrated as many on here, everyone says things they don't really mean in the heat of the moment, but likewise, if a player has played well it should be seen as such and not brushed off just because you don't rate him as a player.
He's never looked like a top player after that terrible ankle injury.
It's tempting to keep him around for his fitness, strength and still good speed. But really I'd rather we bought or promoted a winger, a right back and a midfielder instead of asking Valencia to be cover in all three.
I'm a staunch believer in playing players in their best position.
So much about football is recognising opportunity and threat a half second sooner than your opponent.
Developing the habits to react immediately requires endless hours of training, it can't be faked.
It's tempting to keep him around for his fitness, strength and still good speed. But really I'd rather we bought or promoted a winger, a right back and a midfielder instead of asking Valencia to be cover in all three.
I'm a staunch believer in playing players in their best position.
So much about football is recognising opportunity and threat a half second sooner than your opponent.
Developing the habits to react immediately requires endless hours of training, it can't be faked.
I agree with everything else you said, but this part. He simply hasn't played well. Again, outside of the game against Everton (which we don't agree on), when has he played well this season?
And what has he done to deserve a place in this team ahead of a player like Januzaj, for example?
Do you mean the broken ankle when playing against Rangers? If so he got player of the season (Sir Matt Busby award) the following season. I think the worst thing happened to him was getting the number 7 shirt.
No idea about Januzaj, that's done to LVG, there must be something LVG has saw in training. Valencia was decent when he came on against West Ham, I think that's what got him the nod for the Everton game when Herrera got injured. Other than that he hasn't really had the opportunity to impress, but he is the type of squad player you want to keep around. As I said, if he hits the type of form that he reached during the 11/12 season then he would walk into the first team.
I'm surprised how often the timeline of Antonio Valencia's nasty injury and his very impressive explosive season is muddled up.
For future reference, it goes like this:
Signs for United
Has a very good season
Picks up a nasty injury and misses most of the season.
Returns late that season and looks decent.
New season starts - Has a fecking great season.
Inherits #7 shirt.
Shit forevermore.
For future reference, it goes like this:
Signs for United
Has a very good season
Picks up a nasty injury and misses most of the season.
Returns late that season and looks decent.
New season starts - Has a fecking great season.
Inherits #7 shirt.
Shit forevermore.
You're right, I thought the injury happened after. I do think he lost a step, but seemingly not enough to blunt him.
We definitely changed tactics after that great season of his, that was Rooney's only season as lead striker and most of Valencia's assists were to Rooney.
This is mythical storytelling that has seeped into the mainstream conscious such as Keano ending that fellahs career. It's been said so many times ppl believe it. His best form came after he returned from injury as @Getsme says. His decline began about 18 months after, the middle of the season he got the #7 (2.5 yrs ago) - we won the title but he was much less adventurous and was content playing back up to an attacking Rafael for large parts of games. It was imo psychological, as he's shown since then he can still turn it on at times eg Liverpol game where he ran the whole field.
Yes, I read Getsme's post, but thanks for confirming the facts again. No need to bring mythology into it, my brain has a tendency to switch things in my memory. Usually I google but this one slipped past me.
If it's not physical, I guess all that's left is psychological.
As I mentioned in my last post, I think our change of tactics did him no favors. If he's not using his pace to get in an early cross there isn't really anything else he can do at a high level.
There's a lot else he can do. Most of which we saw against Everton.
That goes back to my original point. Yes, he can play right midfield/wing well (though I would argue only his crossing is top level i.e. our standard, and if he's not crossing there will be little end product), he can play right back well, he can play midfield well. He's a good wing back.
But I wonder if that's not something of a trap.
I'm all for having a utility player, but at this point Valencia being our second choice midfielder behind Herrera is not what I think any of us would prefer. I'd also prefer a defender to back up Rafael, defensive habits take a long time to develop, imo.
Of course the team is a work in progress, there is a limit to what you can do in one transfer window.
But we don't seem to be planning on playing wingers, so we seem unlikely to use him there, though van Gaal doesn't mind a few crosses.
It's a fine point, I'm not saying we can't win with him on the field. But I think we need someone else, ultimately, to back up Rafael and Herrera.
And if we're not playing 3 at the back or wingers then Valencia will find it hard to influence the game.
Most definitely we need another good RB - Valencia isn't a good one imo because we've tried to make the change too late - he's an emergeny option that Fergie used (vs buying a proepr RB) in teh same way he used Fletch & Carrick at CB. He never sees blindside runs until it's too late half the time (as he's ball watching) and doesn't have the natural instincts of a defender (as is the problem with Fletcher at RB when he played there before). He'll make a good/decent backup to Ander but yes it'd be good if we got someone of equal quality to Ander, instead of a converted winger..but I don't think that will happen until next summer. Strootman (if we even have any chance of getting him)is a different kind of beast but will probably compete with him (ro Blind)..
At least he was able to deliver, off the pitch....
FFS.
Still not smiling.
It takes fingerless gloves to handle it
To be fair, they were only pictures of his right foot.
Great. His performances will be even shitter now.
No chance he'll recover from being on the front page, he seems mentally weak.
Maybe some counselling from Rooney will help.
No chance he'll recover from being on the front page, he seems mentally weak.
Maybe some counselling from Rooney will help.
Well, at least he can still score off the pitch.
Valencia of all players.
That will have an even bigger impact on his mind than when his camera was stolen I fear.
Watching Sky News now
x 100
Sky News - "No calls for him to resign as a Manchester United football player yet"
Well it wouldn't be the end of the world.
x 100Sky News - "No calls for him to resign as a Manchester United football player yet"
Well it wouldn't be the end of the world.
The gloves
"Manchester United ace".
I hoped he is at least bit smarter off the pitch.
They would have been two very impressed women if his penis is anywhere near as long as his run of poor form is.
What the hell
I particularly like the text in the bottom right: "I asked if he had a wife and he just said 'Hmmmmm'"
I particularly like the text in the bottom right: "I asked if he had a wife and he just said 'Hmmmmm'"
He's using his left hand!
Should've sent it to the right person.
Those gloves though.
Those gloves though.
If I had a body like Valencia's, I'd be taking nude photos of myself all day.
"I asked if he had a wife and he just said "Hmmmmm.""