Rafael

Raf has attempted 76 tackles and won 52, a success rate of 70%, and one tackle for every 11 minutes on the pitch. Compared, for example, with Branislav Ivanovic (who has switched to centre-back now the Bosingwa is fit but has played regularly at right-back and is considered one of the best around when he does) and Bacary Sagna, who have won 69% and 67% of their tackles, with one tackle made every 14 and 18 minutes respectively (the next best two tackling right backs), this makes Rafael the best tackling right-back in the league this season. Okay it's not mind-blowing, but the fact that he's already the best in the league and clearly can get better is promising indeed.

Incidentally Pat Evra is having a relatively poor season tackle-wise, winning just 61%.
 
Simply put, Rafael is way ahead of the "usual" right or left defender at his age. He's already a top defender and will improve even more in the next years. An incredible talent and a true professional!
 
Escobar said:
Simply put, Rafael is way ahead of the "usual" right or left defender at his age. He's already a top defender and will improve even more in the next years. An incredible talent and a true professional!
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Spot On! He is kind of up there with the world's best aged 20. Defending excellent. Still a little way to learn about positioning.

Tx
 
Feeky_Magee said:
Raf has attempted 76 tackles and won 52, a success rate of 70%, and one tackle for every 11 minutes on the pitch. Compared, for example, with Branislav Ivanovic (who has switched to centre-back now the Bosingwa is fit but has played regularly at right-back and is considered one of the best around when he does) and Bacary Sagna, who have won 69% and 67% of their tackles, with one tackle made every 14 and 18 minutes respectively (the next best two tackling right backs), this makes Rafael the best tackling right-back in the league this season. Okay it's not mind-blowing, but the fact that he's already the best in the league and clearly can get better is promising indeed.
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Rafael has been great, but you can't judge a defender by his tackling statistics. It's a bit like saying Ben Foster is the best goalie in the league because he's made the most saves, and Brad Friedel's the worst because he's given up the most goals.

Incidentally, most tackles this season: Gael Clichy ..2nd:Michel Salgado .. 3rd:Antolin Alcaraz. Best defenders in the league? I'd say no.
 
tintedsepia said:
Spot On! He is kind of up there with the world's best aged 20. Defending excellent. Still a little way to learn about positioning.

Tx
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I'm sure Escobar really appreciated that kiss.
 
It's a big game for Rafael tomorrow. We watch him week in week out so we know how far he's come but a lot of fans and pundits alike still see him as this rash Brazilian twin that likes to bomb forward and isn't that great when it comes to actually defending.

If he keeps Bale quiet in a big televised game tomorrow he'll be widely regarded as the outstanding talent that he is.

It will be hard work for Rafael and it's inevitable Bale will get around him one or twice in the game. Lets just hope he doesn't do any serious damage on those occasions. I fancy Rafael to keep Bale as quiet as he kept him at Old Trafford and as quiet as anyone has kept him at WHL.
 
cw1984 said:
It's a big game for Rafael tomorrow. We watch him week in week out so we know how far he's come but a lot of fans and pundits alike still see him as this rash Brazilian twin that likes to bomb forward and isn't that great when it comes to actually defending.

If he keeps Bale quiet in a big televised game tomorrow he'll be widely regarded as the outstanding talent that he is.

It will be hard work for Rafael and it's inevitable Bale will get around him one or twice in the game. Lets just hope he doesn't do any serious damage on those occasions. I fancy Rafael to keep Bale as quiet as he kept him at Old Trafford and as quiet as anyone has kept him at WHL.
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The problem is though that he gets beaten the one time and pundits like to forget the rest of the game, bleedin WUMs
 
puNANI said:
Hope so. As good as Ronaldo was, Cole had the upper hand over him on many occasions.
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Massive myth the whole Cole-Ronaldo thing. It was just a very even contest. Thing with Ronaldo is that we are just so used to him absolutely raping his marker and so it was surprising to see a full back have such an even battle with him.

Rafael is unbelievably good and will only get better. He'll handle Bale today.
 
Feed Me said:
Massive myth the whole Cole-Ronaldo thing. It was just a very even contest. Thing with Ronaldo is that we are just so used to him absolutely raping his marker and so it was surprising to see a full back have such an even battle with him.

Rafael is unbelievably good and will only get better. He'll handle Bale today.
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That is very true. Even so, an even contest between Cole and Ronaldo meant he wasn't his usual unstoppable self, so it's as much of an upper hand as you're ever likely to get against him. Said alot when Ferguson switched his side in Moscow to release him from Cole's shackles and target an out of position Essien. And it worked.

I'd like to see a bit more of the Rafael vs Bale duel before I compare it to this one. I know Rafael's been consistent this year but I wouldn't bet against him having a mare or two against someone as good as Bale.
 
mufcwarm92 said:
That is very true. Even so, an even contest between Cole and Ronaldo meant he wasn't his usual unstoppable self, so it's as much of an upper hand as you're ever likely to get against him. Said alot when Ferguson switched his side in Moscow to release him from Cole's shackles and target an out of position Essien. And it worked.

I'd like to see a bit more of the Rafael vs Bale duel before I compare it to this one. I know Rafael's been consistent this year but I wouldn't bet against him having a mare or two against someone as good as Bale.
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Rafael's done the business against virtually everyone he's come up against in the 2010. He's going to be an absolute monster of a player. We're looking at the next "best right back in the world" imo.
 
Feed Me said:
Rafael's done the business against virtually everyone he's come up against in the 2010. He's going to be an absolute monster of a player. We're looking at the next "best right back in the world" imo.
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We need to let him complete a whole season before we start making these comments, one thing for sure from last season (especially from the B Munich match) his improvement defensively, how many times have we seen him compete for headers on the far post against big opposition strikers.
 
phelans shorts said:
That could describe any game in the last 3 years in which Neville played.
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Neville has been very decent for the last 3 years. Not amazing, but nowhere near as bad as people would like to believe.

For a couple of months, towards the end of last season (or the season before, genuinly cannot remember) he was out best right back without a doubt.

Neville isnt as bad as people make out, just on a run of poor form.
 
You have to love Rafael. His tenacity and agression and willing to get forward is a joy to watch. Should NOT have been sent off.

Mike Dean is a cnut,
 
Give him a couple of years and he'll piss all over the right backs around, silly sending off because of that twat Dean.
 
Had a good game today, red card was harsh and thought he won ball with first booking.
 
What a fecking brilliant player. I love him like a little brother.
 
No way did he deserve to be sent off today, yet another feck up by Mike Dean.

Rafael clearly went for & got the ball in the first incident, in the second incident it was just a simple thing with two players running from different directions with their eyes on the ball crossing one another, disgraceful sending off imo.

Its a pity as up until that point Rafael was having a brilliant game, one of our best players going forward i thought. He's going to be an immense player for us in the future for us, no doubt about that now.
 
had afew brilliant fecking runs just lovely he is something else
 
I was impressed with how good he was after that first booking, some players just disappear but he kept going.
 
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