Luis Nani | 2012/13 Performances

[NotoriousISSY]

I couldn't make the first half and rushed to the TV, turning it on about 60 minutes in. From what I saw, Nani should have had another assist, and showed 3 or 4 excellent bits of skill & team play. That said, I hear he wasn't so great in the first half (did not watch), but I assume that was down to us supposedly not being very good either.

The 30 minutes I saw of him were very impressive.

Most of the play went down the left. He was starved of the ball for much of the first half. He could've scored from a Young free-kick/should've hit it on target and almost put in a near perfect cross for Hernandez.

Stepped it up in the second when he saw more of the ball.

 

[Amar__]

He was good in first half as he was in second half, but he hasn't seen too much of the ball, and not by his fault.

 

[DevilRed]

Wasn't his best performance but he showed that he is just as responsible defending when needed. Great tackle he made today to dispossess mackie(?) and him/Rafael never let taraabt create any danger. Then of course it was a brilliant angled ball to Giggst for the second. I can't even remember the last time Valencia did something similar.

 

[Cantona'sCollar]

Most of the play went down the left. He was starved of the ball for much of the first half. He could've scored from a Young free-kick/should've hit it on target and almost put in a near perfect cross for Hernandez.

Stepped it up in the second when he saw more of the ball.

Cheers for the info, buddy - I will have a look at the highlights when I can.

I hope he kicks on from this little run of his & cements a place in the starting XI for the crunch-time part of the season. He is our best wide player by a distance, and not just because of Young & Valencia being under-par.

 

[wr8_utd]

Decent on the right wing, better on the left I thought.

That's because all our play was going down the left hand side through Young and Evra while Nani was over on the right. Once he moved over to the left he got more involved and played a very good ball for the goal. He has to start every game if fit imo.

 

[CnutOfAllCnuts]

He was decent today, nothing more, nothing less. Like the team's performance, actually.

Possible the most frustrating United player I have had the pleause to watch though. Has the talent to be one of the best players in the world. Suspect lack of footballing intelligence is the issue.

 

[JakeC]

He was decent today, nothing more, nothing less. Like the team's performance, actually.

Possible the most frustrating United player I have had the pleause to watch though. Has the talent to be one of the best players in the world. Suspect lack of footballing intelligence is the issue.

I think that's a bit harsh, questioning his footballing intelligence, he plays for Manchester United, in the Premiership.

I agree that he is frustrating, but he put in a good shift today, and that's what I want to see from him, the goals will come, as will the runs and tricks.

 

[CnutOfAllCnuts]

I think that's a bit harsh, questioning his footballing intelligence, he plays for Manchester United, in the Premiership.

I agree that he is frustrating, but he put in a good shift today, and that's what I want to see from him, the goals will come, as will the runs and tricks.

Players have various and different level of football intelligence. Also United players. The likes of Scholes, Rooney and Carrick are at one end of the scale, Nani, I suspect, at the other end of the scale - among United players.

 

[mungy]

Bit surprised with the comments here and also with some of the ratings in the MOTM thread (usual suspects) I thought he was very average. Nothing spectacular just a 5/10 performance.

 

[100]

Bit surprised with the comments here and also with some of the ratings in the MOTM thread (usual suspects) I thought he was very average. Nothing spectacular just a 5/10 performance.

He got an assist, was by the far the most creative player going forward despite seeing very little of the ball on the right and also put in a good shift defensively, while giving the ball away rarely (which he has been of late), "very average" is extremely harsh.

 

[JakeC]

He got an assist, was by the far the most creative player going forward despite seeing very little of the ball on the right and also put in a good shift defensively, while giving the ball away rarely (which he has been of late), "very average" is extremely harsh.

read the tag

 

[adexkola]

He was decent today, nothing more, nothing less. Like the team's performance, actually.

Possible the most frustrating United player I have had the pleause to watch though. Has the talent to be one of the best players in the world. Suspect lack of footballing intelligence is the issue.

Nice to see you post again.

 

[Platato]

He was decent today, nothing more, nothing less. Like the team's performance, actually.

Possible the most frustrating United player I have had the pleause to watch though. Has the talent to be one of the best players in the world. Suspect lack of footballing intelligence is the issue.

Right so Nani makes good footballing decisions throughout the entire match and you somehow come away thinking he has lack of footballing intelligence?

 

[Gee Male]

He got an assist, was by the far the most creative player going forward despite seeing very little of the ball on the right and also put in a good shift defensively, while giving the ball away rarely (which he has been of late), "very average" is extremely harsh.

Way over the top. He barely touched the ball in the first half, so not sure how he could ever be regarded as the most creative player going forward.

He had a good second half in flashes, about what we could expect of him given his lack of playing time, onwards and hopefully upwards now for the rest of the season.

Giggs was the most creative player on the pitch by the way, Nani didn't come close to him. No-one did.

 

[100]

Not OTT at all, off the top of my head; Giggs goal, cross to Hernandez first half, 40 yard pass to Valencia which I think led to Giggs hitting the bar - poor Nani volley, ball in behind to Evra which led to the chance Welbeck miss kicked and then Rooneys shot was blocked.

 

[Longlivekeano]

Give him his contract ord ffs

 

[Ekeke]

Right so Nani makes good footballing decisions throughout the entire match and you somehow come away thinking he has lack of footballing intelligence?

Nothing like judging a player on everything but his actual performance

 

[dave2528]

I dont remember when and on who...but that two foot tackle Nani pulled off in the first half was unbelievable.

 

[Giggsforever]

Players have various and different level of football intelligence. Also United players. The likes of Scholes, Rooney and Carrick are at one end of the scale, Nani, I suspect, at the other end of the scale - among United players.

This is more the case of supporters not understanding footballing intelligence and is mistaking it with playing style.

You are talking about the player that has the most assist in the PL the last few years and a player with a lot of flair and imagination.

If you look at his defensive play as well, his positioning and closing down of space is some of the best I have seen from a winger, just watch the QPR game again. He makes it hard for the opposition to get space and create. As with Rio before, Carrick the last years, people will criticise a player that they can't see trowing themselves into tackles, dashing back or chasing the ball/players like possessed. Some think that players like Nani is only contributing with they presence in defending, but in cases like these, they are just smarter, more understanding and predict the play.

 

[Carl]

He was decent today, nothing more, nothing less. Like the team's performance, actually.

This. 7/10 (because of the assist)

 

[Sultan]

He was very good against Reading and put in a good shift yesterday. However, a couple games does not take away from his inconsistent season, and past. He's a very frustrating player mainly due to the fact we all know he can the amongst the very best in his position in the World.

 

[Care_de_Bobo]

This. 7/10 (because of the assist)

Why should the assist make a difference, Valencia created a couple of good chances when he came on and it's not his fault they weren't converted.

An assist is no better than creating a goal scoring chance that isn't taken when assessing an individual's contribution.

 

[TheReligion]

Why should the assist make a difference, Valencia created a couple of good chances when he came on and it's not his fault they weren't converted.

An assist is no better than creating a goal scoring chance that isn't taken when assessing an individual's contribution.

I would sooner a player provided lots of assists for my team than lots of goal scoring opportunities.

It is was a player like Nani gets judged on.

 

[Platato]

Why should the assist make a difference, Valencia created a couple of good chances when he came on and it's not his fault they weren't converted.

An assist is no better than creating a goal scoring chance that isn't taken when assessing an individual's contribution.

the lunacy has begun in this thread

 

[Rossa]

Why should the assist make a difference, Valencia created a couple of good chances when he came on and it's not his fault they weren't converted.

An assist is no better than creating a goal scoring chance that isn't taken when assessing an individual's contribution.

Of course an assist makes a difference, just like a goal does. Creating chances is not the same as creating sitters. Nani's assist was a beauty - perfectly timed and weighted. Some chances look bigger than they are because the ball is over-hit, hit behind the player, with too much pace or too little. Either way, a chance that looks like a 100% chance may not be that because the pass may be just a bit too poor. It is no coincidence that the same players have most assists year after year!

 

[Tomuś]

Of course an assist makes a difference, just like a goal does. Creating chances is not the same as creating sitters. Nani's assist was a beauty - perfectly timed and weighted. Some chances look bigger than they are because the ball is over-hit, hit behind the player, with too much pace or too little. Either way, a chance that looks like a 100% chance may not be that because the pass may be just a bit too poor. It is no coincidence that the same players have most assists year after year!

Generally agree but Giggsy's was never a sitter. You will see tons of good players missing it and a good portion of whom waiting for another player to lay it off to. It was a good chance created by Nani who had more than a decent game. 7/10 seems about right. I rate his performances since he came back, looks much more intelligent player since then for some reason.

 

[Ash_G]

I've never really gone with the intelligent thing. It seems to me if Nani takes a chance and it doesn't come off then he lacks football intelligence. There was no difference in the shot he took against Reading on the volley, which just missed, compared to some of his other pot shots. That's the sort of player he is, willing to take a chance, and sometimes they won't come off or sometimes he might try one too many, but I think it's a jump to say he lacks intelligence. For me I think the very fact that he's one of our best link up players shows this isn't true.

Giggs has received a lot of stick on here this season and in general for the way he plays over the past few years. He takes chances and it doesn't always come off. Yesterday he gave the ball away a fair bit trying stuff but in general it didn't really come off, but when it does it leads to goals like RVP's against West Ham.

Now being the player Giggs is, with his career so far no one would ever say when he does these things he lacks intelligence and I'm not sure why the term is so readily banded at Nani. Ronaldo in his time here and at Real takes many shots or decisions that aren't always the best one but they can lead to spectacular moments or just goals. None of these guys lack intelligence, they're just willing to take chances and back their ability.

The key for Nani is balancing that with product. Giggs and Ronaldo etc have earned the right to take these chances by showing they can produce. Nani has an excellent record in the last few years for goals and assists but he's got the talent to do more and do it more often. But I think some of it is people showing more understanding. That's what I think Fergie means when he calls him a match winner, the likes of him and giggs don't shy away from the ball, and yes they might give it away but they'll also likely make something happen out of nothing.

That's something Nani needs to keep working on, but I think it's harsh to say he lacks football intelligence, being guilty of being selfish/too confident in himself maybe but not intelligence for me.

 

[Amar__]

He was decent today, nothing more, nothing less. Like the team's performance, actually.

Possible the most frustrating United player I have had the pleause to watch though. Has the talent to be one of the best players in the world. Suspect lack of footballing intelligence is the issue.

Your post is totally wrong.

Like the team performance - not even close. Team struggled to keep possesion, and to create many chances- Nani end up as second best passer yesterday, and created couple of good chances to his teammates.

As for frustrating part, what was so frustrating in his play yesterday? If anything, it was his less frustrating performance probably in his whole career.

 

[Sassy Colin]

He was very good against Reading and put in a good shift yesterday. However, a couple games does not take away from his inconsistent season, and past. He's a very frustrating player mainly due to the fact we all know he can the amongst the very best in his position in the World.

et tu Sultan?

 

[I'm always right]

Bit surprised with the comments here and also with some of the ratings in the MOTM thread (usual suspects) I thought he was very average. Nothing spectacular just a 5/10 performance.

I love mungy.

 

[I'm always right]

Generally agree but Giggsy's was never a sitter. You will see tons of good players missing it and a good portion of whom waiting for another player to lay it off to. It was a good chance created by Nani who had more than a decent game. 7/10 seems about right. I rate his performances since he came back, looks much more intelligent player since then for some reason.

This thread is was starting to get silly again I see, doesn't take much. Glad Tomuś put it right with this post though.

 

[redpie]

Will be a sad day when Nani leaves in the summer as looks almost certain. Easily our best winger in talent but also best in assists. A level above Young and twice the player the robotic Valencia is.

 

[Brightonian]

Will be a sad day when Nani leaves in the summer as looks almost certain. Easily our best winger in talent but also best in assists. A level above Young and twice the player the robotic Valencia is.

Does it? Really? Honestly, this place magnifies pure supposition into certainty the way RAWK magnifies delusions of grandeur.

 

[LawCharltonBest]

I would agree though. I can't see him staying for next season, I don't think that's so stupid. Maybe the phrasing of "almost certain" could be changed but I'd say it's a fair comment.

 

[Rossa]

Generally agree but Giggsy's was never a sitter. You will see tons of good players missing it and a good portion of whom waiting for another player to lay it off to. It was a good chance created by Nani who had more than a decent game. 7/10 seems about right. I rate his performances since he came back, looks much more intelligent player since then for some reason.

I suppose you are right, but Nani's assist was perfect for what it was. As long as you put it slightly wide the chance will never be a sitter as such - it will take great skill from the striker. That said, I do think that when Nani whips in a cross he weighs them beautifully at times and has a really good swerve to them (like the one to Hernandez that was just slightly overhit or Hernandez timed it slightly wrong). He cannot lack intelligence if able to pull that off or the assist to Giggs for that matter.

Is it just me though, or is he playing safe physically? He doesn't accelerate as hard (except for one time that I can recall where he outpaced Taaraabt to the ball) - just back from injury syndrome or is he changing his game?

 

[Brightonian]

I would agree though. I can't see him staying for next season, I don't think that's so stupid. Maybe the phrasing of "almost certain" could be changed but I'd say it's a fair comment.

It's a possibility, based on the fact that he hasn't signed a new contract. But that's literally the only reason to think it. Caf talk that he'd fallen our with Fergie was clearly rubbish. Caf talk that the injury was being faked whilst we sought to sell him in January was clearly rubbish. Caf talk that he was being shut out of the starting XI with a view to a summer sale was clearly rubbish.

Fergie's only said positive things about him for some time. Nani's getting game time. There've been no statements about contract talks or the lack of them for some time (if at all?).

So yes, it's a possibility. But 'almost certain' is ridiculous, and the number of people on here acting as if that's the obvious state of things is hilarious.

 

[charlenefan]

Might be slightly knee jerk but I'm getting a sense of 09/10 with Nani's recent form, if people remember back 09/10 was the last time people were certain that Nani's United career was over and after some inspired performances against Hull and then Arsenal he turned things around and not long afterwards was given a new contract. I wonder if the performance against Reading and then keeping his place in the team and doing well against QPR could mark a similar outcome.....

 

[NotoriousISSY]

Might be slightly knee jerk but I'm getting a sense of 09/10 with Nani's recent form, if people remember back 09/10 was the last time people were certain that Nani's United career was over and after some inspired performances against Hull and then Arsenal he turned things around and not long afterwards was given a new contract. I wonder if the performance against Reading and then keeping his place in the team and doing well against QPR could mark a similar outcome.....

Contract is on the table from what we've heard...it seems a disagreement over wages and possibly his role in the team (I.e he wants assurances that he's likely to start more often than not). That's just from what Fergie has said so I'm not taking it as a given because we know nothing from Nani's side.

 

[Sir A1ex]

However, a couple games does not take away from his inconsistent season, and past.

His "inconsistency" this season has consisted of him being a bit crap for the first month or so of the season, when his head seemed to be all over the place with the near-move to Russia etc, and then being injured since then.
It's a rare player (Ronaldo) who doesn't go through spells like this - other key players like Rooney, Valencia, Rio, Carrick, Giggs, Evra certainly have.

His "inconsistency" in the past is just that... in the relatively distant past. Up til around the end of 2009 the jury was very much out on whether he could produce regulalry enough, but for the last couple of seasons, since getting into his mid-20s, he's surely more than proved himself?
17 goals and 30 assists from 54 league appearances in 10-11 and 11-12 just cannot be described as inconsistent.

 

[Danillaco]

His "inconsistency" this season has consisted of him being a bit crap for the first month or so of the season, when his head seemed to be all over the place with the near-move to Russia etc, and then being injured since then.
It's a rare player (Ronaldo) who doesn't go through spells like this - other key players like Rooney, Valencia, Rio, Carrick, Giggs, Evra certainly have.

His "inconsistency" in the past is just that... in the relatively distant past. Up til around the end of 2009 the jury was very much out on whether he could produce regulalry enough, but for the last couple of seasons, since getting into his mid-20s, he's surely more than proved himself?
17 goals and 30 assists from 54 league appearances in 10-11 and 11-12 just cannot be described as inconsistent.

People's screams about inconsistency, to me sound more like frustrations about him not doing everything we know he can. His stats are great, and we saw the kind of form he can have, even when his not doing good in a game, he can score or assist at anytime. But I still see him maturing even more and establishing himself more and more.