I don't think thats negative, I think its just correct to wait and see what happens. There were times last season when people felt compelled to say he was back to his best, and then he'd play poorly again. So its only sensible to wait to see if he can keep it up for a couple of games on the bounce before going head over heels at the idea that he's a quality winger again
Antonio Valencia | 2013/14 Performances
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran are here to talk about a frustrating 2 points dropped at Crystal Palace. They then discuss the regeneration of Old Trafford. Finally, Nik is joined by special guest Michael Statham from the Football Oranje podcast - who gives us a more in depth look at our EL opposition FC Twente, and then runs through the (many) Dutch connections currently at United.
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Much much better tonight, seemed to have more confidence.
That is the Valencia I know and love, excellent performance. Notice how he was given more freedom to get forward with the very solid Smalling and another sitting midfielder in Fellaini being present. A lot of his defensive duties go unnoticed, even when they are partially responsible for his quieter performances.
That's the worry. If someone can just get into that head of his and instill some self belief. His pace is still electric.
How many goals did he score last season? If you dont like honesty, stop reading/listening
Improvement in the second half but still a lot of hit and hope crosses and not much variety, took his goal well though.
Scored, set one up for RvP and laid another one on a plate for him. I'd say that's a good performance. Also showed signs at being direct and running at people, which is fecking miles away from what he's served up for a year.
If we get him back to his best we're favourites for the league, he's that devastating.
His crossing wasn't great, however, but for a shocking Van Persie miss he would have ended up with two assists and a goal. He's been taking players on all season, I don't understand why he was getting stick for not doing that on here, the standard of his crossing has been the problem.
I think smashing them low a couple of times is fine. Van Persie almost managed to convert one even, and theres always the chance he'll either accidently put it in the net like the season before last, or the defender will turn it in. I think he probably found a good balance between genuine crosses and low smashes overall. Its just that a lot of the smashes came in a row early on, so it gave the impression thats all he was going to try again
That was much better...
His confidence is back.
Infinitely better from Val tonight. Hopefully just the start of a very long run of form.
I like how he's back to trying to beat his man again and how for a couple of crosses he smashed them in
He's not bad when they give him a bit of space to run into.
The RvP goal was more about RvP's dexterity and terrible keeping, but like I said the latter part of the second half was a step up from what he has been delivering, I just think some of the reaction is over the top given how long his run of poor form has been.
I really liked his drilled crosses as well, very dangerous. Although I did point out to my house mat that Valencia can knock them into RVP as hard as he liked and he would either find a way of controlling it or put it in the end... We all know how that turned out.
It's what has annoyed me the most about him. The guy is a beast when he picks the ball up and just fecking runs at full backs. For some reason last season he was reluctant to do this. Fingers crossed that this is the turning point and he can start making fools of defenders again!
I liked him a lot tonight and I hope it's way up now for him
Look at you at home, watching the football, talking to the mat.
Unhealthy stuff, Woodzy. Get out and meet some real people.
I did spot that typo, I just left it there because I love the attention.
Not surprised. You need it if your best mate is a mat.
His celebration was just unbelievable - it was in tribute to Chucho Benitez, who sadly passed away not long ago. Excellent vibe after he scored. I've always felt that a celebration can be just as important as a goal - it gets a certain mood going, & I remember Kompany absolutely destroying Balotelli for refusing to celebrate for no reason at all. Love everything about this guy - he's so very Scholes-like, in how shy & genuine he is. No interviews, publicity, bad press, advertisements, anything. Just does the job and is a regular human being off the pitch. Top guy. A hardman too, you could imagine him being a lumberjack or a coal miner. I know I could. 
It was a mixed game for Valencia, he still showed traces of his year long run of poor form, but there was glimpses of what he had in his locker at his best. Hopefully he can keep on improving and get back to his consistent best. Rafael cannot come back quick enough to resume the partnership on the right.
It was like both Rooney and Valencia had time warped back to 10-11!
He was awesome in that second half. So pleased to see him actually take a shot on. He has got so much shot power I don't think he shoots enough!.
He was awesome in that second half. So pleased to see him actually take a shot on. He has got so much shot power I don't think he shoots enough!.
His celebration was just unbelievable - it was in tribute to Chucho Benitez, who sadly passed away not long ago. Excellent vibe after he scored. I've always felt that a celebration can be just as important as a goal - it gets a certain mood going, & I remember Kompany absolutely destroying Balotelli for refusing to celebrate for no reason at all. Love everything about this guy - he's so very Scholes-like, in how shy & genuine he is. No interviews, publicity, bad press, advertisements, anything. Just does the job and is a regular human being off the pitch. Top guy. A hardman too, you could imagine him being a lumberjack or a coal miner. I know I could.
I imagine him as a sort of butcher, just ripping cows apart with his bare hands, or obliterating them into minced beef with one punch.
He grew as the match went on and it was great to see. The cross he put in for RVP's missed chance is the kind of delivery he needs to get back to.
Great to see his direct style again. When he hits them first time crosses, like RvPs late miss, he is brilliant. Took his goal well too. Nice confidence boost.
Good to hear he played well and got the goal. Hopefully he can string a run of good performances together and become the player we all know he is capable of being again.
never seen him so happy after a goal. like the weight of the world had been lifted. not the stoic face of stone we normally see.
In the Premiership, the defenders have learned how to play him. Overplay his right foot and stay tight so he can't drill the ball across.
When I saw the German left back give him a bit of space I knew the cross would come in for Van Persie's goal.
I don't think that Valencia has lost form so much as that the Premiership have learned how to take away what he does well. Although it could be that like Carrick when he was injured, there has been an extended drop in form. Sometimes you can get healthy physically after injury, but you don't psychologically recover for a bit longer.
Another possibility is that it is the combination of Kagawa and Rooney and RVP with the greater solidity of Fellaini alongside Carrick which is creating the space for Valencia to operate. How long has it been since Valencia last played with this group of attackers?
When I saw the German left back give him a bit of space I knew the cross would come in for Van Persie's goal.
I don't think that Valencia has lost form so much as that the Premiership have learned how to take away what he does well. Although it could be that like Carrick when he was injured, there has been an extended drop in form. Sometimes you can get healthy physically after injury, but you don't psychologically recover for a bit longer.
Another possibility is that it is the combination of Kagawa and Rooney and RVP with the greater solidity of Fellaini alongside Carrick which is creating the space for Valencia to operate. How long has it been since Valencia last played with this group of attackers?
I don't think it's that easy. He's not taken people on for an entire year, rather played a game of staring with whoever he's faced at full back.
I don't think it really is a case of fullbacks "figuring him out", because he's like, the fastest man on earth, so unless someone has figured out how to run faster, then Valencia has what it takes to play to his strengths.
Valencia had been playing in the Premier League for 3 years before we signed him, doing the same thing, knocking the ball past the left back, bursting past and getting in a cross. He continued to do it for another 3 years for us, before having an iffy season. It didn't look like he'd been figured out, rather than he barely even tried to do what he normally does. He was far too indecisive, and didn't make many efforts to burst past anyone. He looked void of confidence. If he'd been figured out, we'd have seen mroe of him at least trying to take defenders on and getting stopped. He just didn't even try.
If he has been figured out, did it really take everyone 6 years to realise "Oh, I see. He knocks the ball on, and chases it. I got it now" and then that was him completely sussed? I think there's more to it than that. Trying to keep him from going onto his right foot doesn't always work. His acceleration is the best around IMO. The defender would need a slight head start, and that gives him space to play a pass inside, or even run into the box, which he has often done, before he became void of any confidence to play his natural game.
Valencia had been playing in the Premier League for 3 years before we signed him, doing the same thing, knocking the ball past the left back, bursting past and getting in a cross. He continued to do it for another 3 years for us, before having an iffy season. It didn't look like he'd been figured out, rather than he barely even tried to do what he normally does. He was far too indecisive, and didn't make many efforts to burst past anyone. He looked void of confidence. If he'd been figured out, we'd have seen mroe of him at least trying to take defenders on and getting stopped. He just didn't even try.
If he has been figured out, did it really take everyone 6 years to realise "Oh, I see. He knocks the ball on, and chases it. I got it now" and then that was him completely sussed? I think there's more to it than that. Trying to keep him from going onto his right foot doesn't always work. His acceleration is the best around IMO. The defender would need a slight head start, and that gives him space to play a pass inside, or even run into the box, which he has often done, before he became void of any confidence to play his natural game.
Lets not act like he's become some kind of unplayable god now after one good game. He's still one of the most limited forward players we've had.
He had an excellent 35 minutes or so last night. Lets hope it helps him. Softly softly.
He had an excellent 35 minutes or so last night. Lets hope it helps him. Softly softly.
Does it matter if you are limited if you get the job done? A kung-fu master may be much more adventerous, but if Mike Tyson knocks him to the ground I would still consider him the winner.
You are right that we shouldn't jump on the RAWKish behaviour of "he's now the best winger in the world" and "it's ON!"
The biggest positive for me wasn't the goal or assist or near assist he racked up, it was the fact he actually took on the full back.
For someone who has the physical attributes he has, he's been awfully timid in attack for too long. But last night there was no dicking about, no passing back it was just straight down the wing. Then eventually he's popping up with a few decent crosses and a great powerful hit of his own.
Wherever he's been for the last year, I hope this is one step out of that shell because we need these wingers to supplement the rest of the team and make chances for the forwards.
For someone who has the physical attributes he has, he's been awfully timid in attack for too long. But last night there was no dicking about, no passing back it was just straight down the wing. Then eventually he's popping up with a few decent crosses and a great powerful hit of his own.
Wherever he's been for the last year, I hope this is one step out of that shell because we need these wingers to supplement the rest of the team and make chances for the forwards.
Valencia's limited form has been his very own mental block, not the case of defenders "figuring him out".
Yesterday he played like a player off the leash.
Yesterday he played like a player off the leash.
Is he better than James McClean again?
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