Di Maria was actually 4 goals, and 13 assists according to this forum.
So that's 17 goals either scored/created, in 32 appearances.
Considering it wasn't his best season by his standard, that's still pretty good numbers.
7
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 32
- Goals
- 4
- Assists
- 13
- Yellow cards
- 3
- Red cards
- 1
- Status
Di Maria was actually 4 goals, and 13 assists according to this forum.
So that's 17 goals either scored/created, in 32 appearances.
Considering it wasn't his best season by his standard, that's still pretty good numbers.
He wrote off Ander Herrera after about 2 games so it's no surprise. New Kagawa I think he called him. Some weird posts from him over the past few years. Think he just likes to criticize new players and anyone who says a bad word about Fellaini.
Hazard is similar strength wise but managed much better. Di Maria has always been an inconsistent player barring one season. We just massively overpaid on the basis of that season and changed the entire setup that had finally made him click.
What an incredibly uninspiring list.
He's been utter wank at the Copa America. We should sell him to PSG while he still has value.
Being just a touch melodramatic? Name another PL club whose list of wide players would be more inspiring?
Bollox. Really did not want to read comments like this.
It's not. It's the painful truth. Unbelievable how many balls he's lost in both matches so far. Also spends too much time on the ball.
Probably, I just don't think that's a great list of options for a team that has genuine title winning aspirations. 1 decent player, 2 young and completely unproven players, and 1 good but limited winger.
I'd say right now Arsenal (Ox, Sanchez, Walcott and Welbeck), Chelsea (Hazard, Willian, Cuadrado, Oscar) and City (Nasri, Navas, Silva, Sterling*) all have better options.
*Probably
Saying that, with the way things change so quickly in football, Memphis could hit the ground running, Januzaj could have his 'breakout' season, Di Maria could find his mojo again, and suddenly everything looks great again,
An awful lot hinges on Di Maria coming good in his second season. If he does and Depay has a good debut we're looking good. Mata's a class player on his day too and Young/Januzaj have both shown they're capable of a good season.
I'd agree with all of that. Although I'm in the 'Januzaj needs a loan' camp, I think he really needs regular first team football.
Oh.I'm not disagreeing. I haven't watched any games. Just expressing disappointment
There's unfortunately nothing indicating atm that he will turn it around next season. I would've had hope for him if he played well this summer, but it could be argued he's looked even worse there. We need to sell him while we can.
Hazard is miles stronger than Di Maria. You can tell Hazard has put a bit of time in at the gym developing his leg muscles, whereas Di Maria looks as though the only time he's squatted is when he goes for a shit.
To be a top class footballer, does not require large muscles.
Look at Terry - he is like a match-stick.
Same for Ribbery, Robben.
Michael Owen (remember him), was a tiny little thing, but he was one of the players of the World Cup tournament in 1998.
Look at Sterling - this guy is also a matchstick.
Generally speaking, muscle bulk is not a good indicator of footballing ability.
Look at Terry - he is like a match-stick.
Same for Ribbery, Robben.
Michael Owen (remember him), was a tiny little thing, but he was one of the players of the World Cup tournament in 1998.
Look at Sterling - this guy is also a matchstick.
Generally speaking, muscle bulk is not a good indicator of footballing ability.
That's not fair. His upper body is skinny as feck but his legs look fairly strong. Completely different genetics to Hazard anyway, who's always been a stocky wee nugget.
Although I do wonder how anyone can be a professional footballer and have such emaciated arms/torso. What the hell is he doing when he's in the gym?
To be a top class footballer you need to be able to stay on your feet while opponents are hassling you. It’s clear that lack of physicality is hurting him in England, don’t you think?
What? JT is huge
I was going by league stats. But yea but not bad for someone who had a "shit" season
Thats the main thing. He's not afraid to try create chances. If more of our players tried this then we'd be a lot better off, yes a lot of the time it's not gonna work but isn't it better to fail 9/10 than not try at all? Don't get me wrong I'm not saying he's had a great season because by his standards he hasn't. But it's just stupid for some people on here to say that we should sell him.
Give him another season and we should start seeing the best of him.
Looking at him, with absolutely no medical credentials whatsoever, I'd say he probably has an issue with his thyroid. He probably finds it incredibly hard to gain weight.
I know someone with an overactive thyroid, they eat like a horse, but just don't gain weight and they're pretty sedentary.
Combine an overactive thyroid with a very physical lifestyle and I can see muscle gain being a real issue.
You'd think wouldn't you.
Then again, this lad falls over before, during and after the hassling commences.
I agree that we over paid him,but comparisons with Hazard on physic I don't agree on, Hazard who got better lower body weight is much better in handling defenders than DiMaria.
I do remember when we played him in CM role early in season looked comfortable until some tackles started flying and he goes down easily for which referees here never bother.
I don't complain referees here but game in PL is different, all he need is different way of thinking to adopt game here.
So, thats it? He's done and dusted and will never perform at the level we require him to?
He's made for counter-attacking football, not possession football.
He might (and should) get better for us if he stays, but he'll never be AS good as he was in that Ancelotti team. Not while van Gaal's here anyway.
If di Maria stays, and we have a poor season and van Gaal is replaced by Klopp - I'd expect to see di Maria excel again.
He's a 'heavy metal' footballer, not an a 'Vivaldi' footballer. Or, to put it another way, he came from Real Madrid, not Barcelona...
I agree you need to be able to stay on your feet, but this is not related to muscle bulk.
There are many top class players, who can stay on their feet, who are also thin. I listed them earlier in this thread. Add Neymar to that list.
Falcao is bulky and as we saw, he was unable to stay on his feet most of the time. Even when he was simply taking a shot, without being challenged, he would fall over.
Balance is important here. Not bulk.
Perhaps you are referring to a different John Terry.
I am referring to this match man.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/06/08/article-0-0C76A46F00000578-936_634x479.jpg
Terry is the perfect example of an aerobic athlete - built to run long distances and have good endurance. For this he needs low muscle mass. The more muscle you have, the more oxygen you require and in football, this is generally a bad thing.
I can go on and on...but you get the idea. ADM has the perfect physique for a top class footballer.
Lets not forget that ADM has created many chances and has many assists.
I think his biggest problem is that huge price-tag.
I really want to see Di Maria succeed at United, but my hopes that Copa America would help him get his mojo back is fading quickly. That's not at all to say that he won't get it back either this summer or next season, just that I was hoping that a good Copa America would lead to him starting the season in good form.
In their two games so far, both he and Falcao have pretty much looked exactly like they did in the second half of the season for United, so I don't think it was anything specific to United, LVG, or LVG's system. They both just lack confidence (Falcao seems to be missing a half of step of pace or burst since the injury, as well). For those that felt Di Maria looked and played like he didn't care late in the season, he's showing the same body language with Argentina.
In their two games so far, both he and Falcao have pretty much looked exactly like they did in the second half of the season for United, so I don't think it was anything specific to United, LVG, or LVG's system. They both just lack confidence (Falcao seems to be missing a half of step of pace or burst since the injury, as well). For those that felt Di Maria looked and played like he didn't care late in the season, he's showing the same body language with Argentina.
I think this guy will be ready for next season. Could be a like a new signing.
He definitely is not a match stick, even from the image you have sent me... A match stick is someone like Di Maria, not JT. I've just checked his height and weight and he is 6'1" and weighs 90kg, which is probably a very decent weight for that height.
Either he doesn't train hard enough (in the gym), and isn't eating right.
Or, it's a genetic thing. People with his kind of physique seem to be rangy and durable, so maybe he won't suffer from repeated soft-tissue injuries. Though I'm not sure what ADM's injury history is like, but those kind of rangy physiques seem to last a little longer (going from AFL experience).
Neymar has got absolutely tiny arms too. It must just be a genetic thing.
It's his genes I'd say too. I read somewhere where it said that as a kid too, he was frail looking, but had boundless energy all day long. And they sent him to play football to keep him busy.
Here's him as a youngster. Looks more like a long distance runner
How on earth is somebody calling John terry stick thin? 
You'd think wouldn't you.
Then again, this lad falls over before, during and after the hassling commences.
Don't know the reason behind him slipping so much, could be the boots maybe. But he could definitely hold players off, I remember him looking impossible to take the ball off of at times this season.
Probably has terrible balance, that's a mental issue.
Had a decent game against Jamaica tonight, he was Argentina's most creative player.
I thought he was excellent against Jamaica. A constant threat. Everything good, essentially, went through him. Set up the only goal. Unlucky not to pick up another assist, plus a goal or two for himself. I'm really looking forward to seeing him play next season. He's simply too good not to be a real impact player for us.
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