He was underwhelming today, both as an attacking force and defensively. Sagna was Arsenal's most dangerous player.
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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Er....
What's Sagna got to do with Valencia?
Like Kagawa, they had to prevent Arsenal from playing. He was a bit overwhelming going forward but under all circumstances, it was ok
And he played on the right, nothing to do with Valencia. Valencia did what he's been criticized for the last year - solid defensively and decent passing, poor in attacking sense. For some reason he got me frustrated for the first time in months, yet is being praised on here.
EDIT: Was better in the first half and overall quite decent but I expected him to just run at Gibbs.
He did nothing going forward, nothing. He's supposed to be a winger at Man Utd, not some 'defensive winger' or whatever the latest term to describe his horribly uninspiring performances is.
Not applying to big games unfortunately. Rooney's been our defender at times in big games.
Defensive winger.....brrrrggh.
My bad. Got Valencia and Kagawa mixed up. I was reading Kagawa getting prised in a thread for his defensive work.
Sagna got his crosses in when Kagawa was subbed in the last 10 minutes
Sagna was their best attacking outlet all game. Kagawa is awful at tackling. featherweight.
Sagna is first and foremost ridiculously underrated among non-Arsenal fans. Tough tackler and a very good crosser of the ball.
Rafael is a better rb but only just. Sagna and Zabaleta are two best rbs in PL apart from Rafael.
Only Smalling and Evra won the ball more with tackles than Kagawa. And 3 Arsenal players
Well - yes. But having the antithesis to an attacking fullback to link up with is going to affect anyone. Plus, after Vidic was subbed off the match became more and more about containment. And Valencia/Smalling did very well to stifle Arsenal in the second half - that was important for us.
I agree, of course, that we shouldn't aim to field a "defensive winger" as a rule - and in the upcoming matches, which will hopefully be more about attacking than containing, he will have to step up his offensive game: If not we do have better options in both Nani and Adnan.
It's really ridiculous. Attacking player who offered literally nothing going forward, Smallling actually looked more dangerous than him in attack, and yet somehow people are happy with his performance.
It's obvious that he is being picked in first XI for his defensive contribution, and i'd understand if some people are happy to have player who can do job like Valencia, but describing this kind of performances from Manchester United winger as good is really ridiculous.
He's quite good at carrying the ball forward, that in itself is a real plus.
As opposed to carrying it backward?
To be fair, he is great at passing it backwards. His 270 degree swivels are glorious to watch at times.
Re-watched the game and my initial view on his performance seems harsh. Good in the first half, too cautious in the second. The key was not too lose possession cheaply when we countered them in the second half, which he did. Just kept it too simple for my liking.
As in the only player in the squad that I trust to carry the ball over the halfway line and not stupidly lose possession.
Jesus, our squad sucks then.
He had a really good game yesterday, particularly in the first half with his driving runs. Glimpses of him from a couple of years ago!
Oh no, we've got a good squad it's just that some people refuse to see the quality in it.
Valencia is pretty much the reason why RVP and Rooney have so few chances. Almost every counter or crossing opportunity comes from him and he rarely finds people with the final ball.
There are aspects of his game I like, but if he can't set up the forwards his place in the team is questionable.
There are aspects of his game I like, but if he can't set up the forwards his place in the team is questionable.
He is hindering the team. Too many times he receives the ball and does nothing productive with it. Attacking down the right is such a waste. If we want to progress and play better football, then I think he needs to be dropped, unless he's filling in at right back, which he probably could do against most teams.
Thought he was OK yesterday. In a way his performances have summed up Moyes's time here to date. Trying hard, a mix of poor to decent displays. A general air of lack of creativity and tedium. I think, we can now probably conclude we won't get back the Valencia of 2011, I'd like to see him at right back instead of Smalling/Jones. Maybe he could reinvent himself there?
It's a strange case as he shows that his pace is still there and very few, if any, fullbacks have the pace to keep up with him, yet he seems reluctant to try. I noticed one time yesterday when he went for his usual kick it down and run to cross that his touch was way off; instead of kicking the ball five yards straight down, he kicked it someway wide, thus having to track sideways. Basically, he's off form, but has been for so long that it's getting increasingly tiresome, and that's coming from someone who likes him.
If Nani isn't getting game time now, Moyes is starting to look a little silly.
This is my thoughts on him completely. He should be competing with a fit Rafael for the right back spot.
We should be looking to offload Young, get a few seasons out of Januzaj out wide, depending on his development before he moves central and give Nani a run of games to get him 100% fit and firing.
Zaha out on loan and bring in another proper winger.
WTf is Dwazza van Porchie? 
I've really had enough of watching Valencia play. His technical ability is woeful.
I'm fed up with him really. People can say I have an agenda against him all they want, but I don't, he used to be one of my favourite players to watch on form, a good, no nonsense traditional right winger who was capable of terrorizing defenses despite not having overly proficient technical attributes, now however, he's just fecking pointless, we basically had to invent the term 'defensive winger' in order to try justify his performances for us in the last 18 months.
Yet again at the weekend, he offered feck all, ok, a decent pass to Adnan for the goal (although you could argue it was actually over-hit and caused Adnan more problems to control than it should have) aside, it was simply a case of being there on the right wing to try nullify their attackers (which he didn't do particularly well) and offer feck all going forward. When is enough enough with him? How long do we have to persist with these average performances game after game before he's finally dropped and another player is offered a chance to actually do something offensively for the team?
People complain about how poor we are going forward and I think his part in this is largely underrated, it's easy to forget based on recent times just how very important right wingers have been to our attack, just look at Nani in 10/11 and him in 11/12 as proof, and by continuing to play him there we are totally nullifying one of the key aspects of our offensive game.
of course, he'll probably still start tomorrow.
Yet again at the weekend, he offered feck all, ok, a decent pass to Adnan for the goal (although you could argue it was actually over-hit and caused Adnan more problems to control than it should have) aside, it was simply a case of being there on the right wing to try nullify their attackers (which he didn't do particularly well) and offer feck all going forward. When is enough enough with him? How long do we have to persist with these average performances game after game before he's finally dropped and another player is offered a chance to actually do something offensively for the team?
People complain about how poor we are going forward and I think his part in this is largely underrated, it's easy to forget based on recent times just how very important right wingers have been to our attack, just look at Nani in 10/11 and him in 11/12 as proof, and by continuing to play him there we are totally nullifying one of the key aspects of our offensive game.
of course, he'll probably still start tomorrow.
He limits us as a team. Stuck to the right and very little to offer going forward hinders our play massively. Adnan on the left is so versatile and can play left, right or through the middle and we couldn't change that because Valencia can't play anywhere else. I've kept saying Valencia should be used at right back when Rafael is out, as his main attributes right now are defensive. Going forward he is just so uninspiring and very rarely offers anything positive.
I'd prefer to see him as a RB instead of Smalling with Nani in front of him.
I agree with those who suggest he should be used predominantly as a rightback when Rafael is missing. He offers so little going forward these days; it's surprising he's managed to score twice as he barely ever shoots and the games when he used to provide several decent crosses seem to belong in the long distant past.
Quite frankly, it's depressing that Nani is being left on the bench match after match so that Valencia can put in yet another hard shift without providing any attacking threat.
Quite frankly, it's depressing that Nani is being left on the bench match after match so that Valencia can put in yet another hard shift without providing any attacking threat.
Are we back to criticising him now? I thought he was 'back'. Thought he was quite decent against Cardiff, strong in possession - in terms of keeping it in very difficult circumstances. Dying for the day he becomes a bench player, it'll be the sign that United have moved out of the dark ages.
Yeah, can't really disagree with these comments. Get Nani, Welbeck or Januzaj starting on the right.
He's not back. Won't ever be back. Same boat as Torres now unfortunately. May have the odd game or few games playing well but we'll have to look at replacing him permanently in the summer, or try out Nani. I mean it's what, 50 odd games of general garbage now? And he's 28. On the contrary, Nani has only played around 25 times in the last two years, with most of those appearances sporadic due to injury and not being picked, and he's a year younger. Give him a run in the team Moyes.
Amen to that. We need a dynamic top winger. I feel it will improve our game play too.
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