Antonio Valencia | 2013/14 Performances

[2 man midfield]

I thought he was poor actually, I don't know what I saw differently. Even the commentator said he seems to be getting back to his old form, but I haven't seen anything of the sort. Today he managed to slow everything down, hit the first man, not take anyone on and drill in passes much too low and hard for anyone to get on the end of, basically the same old dross we've seen for the past 12 months.

 

[Mockney]

He's basically just here to win us corners and throw ins.

 

[Theon]

That explains why we couldn't create anything then.

What are you talking about?

He was creating chances by constantly beating the Spurs defence and making them defend his crosses. Without that we looked flat, it was the most important part of our attack.

How anyone can watch that first half and say he wasn't a threat is mental.

 

[Massive Spanner]

What are you talking about?

He was creating chances by constantly beating the Spurs defence and making them defend his crosses. Without that we looked flat, it was the most important part of our attack.

How anyone can watch that first half and say he wasn't a threat is mental.

What did he create exactly? Corners?

 

[Ole's_toe_poke]

What are you talking about?

He was creating chances by constantly beating the Spurs defence and making them defend his crosses. Without that we looked flat, it was the most important part of our attack.

How anyone can watch that first half and say he wasn't a threat is mental.

He created corners. He was pointless today.

 

[Ekeke]

He wasnt making them defend crosses most of the time, he was blasting the ball straight at the defender who couldnt move out of the way if he wanted to. I'm thinking he has never learned to cross the ball without beating a man, by curling the ball around them and that might be why he always tries to win a yard dribbling down the right before trying to smash it in

 

[December_16]

I am not a big Valencia hater or lover but I almost lost the will to watch football, watching him hit one cross after another into the first man.
Even if it works, this is pedestrian football from us, devoid of any creativity. Great wing play is not just about whipping the ball to a wide man and have him cross it in mindlessly. That's no better than long ball game.

Agreed. We need to create a name for it. This is the "zombie football" of last season.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

I thought he was incredibly wasteful today... probably saw the most of the ball from any of our attacking players and yet managed to make zero impact on the game. Really poor.

Yet I look at the MOTM thread and everyone either has him at number 2 or 3... so maybe it's just me.

 

[Godfather]

Tbh he beat his man a few times today so I don't think he was as bad as some are making out. Have seen worse from him. His crossing of course was wank.

 

[Theon]

What did he create exactly? Corners?

I can't tell if you're intentionally being thick. Spurs defending his crosses doesn't mean he wasn't creating chances or being a threat in attack.

If Kagawa kept on slipping through balls to Rooney which were cut out by Dawson, then you would still say he was being threatening and creative. He was just defended well against.

 

[Varun]

He's infuriatingly 1 dimensional in style and its no surprise defenders arent fooled anymore. Worst thing is he's shows he has a decent left peg, just doesnt want to fecking use it. Ball after ball blasted into vertongen who'l probably need an extended ice bath tonight.

 

[Castia]

Thousand times better than last season, its good to see him beat his full back. Needs to work on his final ball though it all looks a bit 'hit and hope' to me.

 

[Member 5225]

What are you talking about?

He was creating chances by constantly beating the Spurs defence and making them defend his crosses. Without that we looked flat, it was the most important part of our attack.

How anyone can watch that first half and say he wasn't a threat is mental.

Wow how blinded are you?! How many clear-cut chances did he actually create then?

 

[Tomuś]

The logic in here is hilarious at times. "He was great, well, apart from the fact that couldn't cross the ball at all".

No Cina, the logic in here is that only because he's been shite last season, means he's been shite again this time round and that every good game is a one off (like vs Bayer). In reality, he's had loads of good and decent games this season and should be quite low on the list when we're trying to find excuses for our erratic attacking play so far.

 

[Theon]

Yet I look at the MOTM thread and everyone either has him at number 2 or 3... so maybe it's just me.

Judging by this thread though, it isnt just you.

 

[Sixpence]

I thought he was incredibly wasteful today... probably saw the most of the ball from any of our attacking players and yet managed to make zero impact on the game. Really poor.

Yet I look at the MOTM thread and everyone either has him at number 2 or 3... so maybe it's just me.

I think it's because people are struggling to name any other player bar Rooney. And Valencia had a lot of the ball which would stick in most fans memories.

 

[Varun]

I can't tell if you're intentionally being thick. Spurs defending his crosses doesn't mean he wasn't creating chances or being a threat in attack.

If Kagawa kept on slipping through balls to Rooney which were cut out by Dawson, then you would still say he was being threatening and creative. He was just defended well against.

That's the issue, its very easy for good defenders to defend well against him because of his 1 dimensional style and unwillingness to try anything. Even when Vertongen clearly had it covered, he decided to bang it into him rather than try anything else

 

[2 man midfield]

I thought he was incredibly wasteful today... probably saw the most of the ball from any of our attacking players and yet managed to make zero impact on the game. Really poor.

Yet I look at the MOTM thread and everyone either has him at number 2 or 3... so maybe it's just me.

I agree, I think he's just in the MOTM thread because after Rooney, who is there? I didn't post in that thread because I honestly can't think of anyone who had a good game apart from Rooney. And even he wasn't great, a poached finish and a penalty. We were poor all round, and imo Valencia was one of the worst offenders.

 

[Theon]

No Cina, the logic in here is that only because he's been shite last season, means he's been shite again this time round and that every good game is a one off (like vs Bayer). In reality, he's had loads of good and decent games this season and should be quite low on the list when we're trying to find excuses for our erratic attacking play so far.

Spot on.

His crossing was poor but he was a threat all game. He was better than both Kagawa or Welbeck and was our most likely source of a chance in the first half.

 

[Member 5225]

This sums him up: http://www.squawka.com/news/2013/10...ensional-valencia-into-the-dark/2013103030334

 

[Annihilate Now!]

I agree, I think he's just in the MOTM thread because after Rooney, who is there? I didn't post in that thread because I honestly can't think of anyone who had a good game apart from Rooney. And even he wasn't great, a poached finish and a penalty. We were poor all round, and imo Valencia was one of the worst offenders.

Vidic.

 

[Theon]

This sums him up: http://www.squawka.com/news/2013/10...ensional-valencia-into-the-dark/2013103030334

Except it hasn't been threatened, because Moyes still picks Valencia. Nani's the one who is losing out.

 

[Nighteyes]

Was poor as he has been in the league for a long time.

 

[2 man midfield]

Vidic.

He was ok, i'm struggling to think of anything he did that was special.

 

[Orton]

He had the beating of Vertonghen, but his crossing was shit. Good chance in the 2nd half to play the early ball into Hernandez who made a good run, but instead he takes an extra couple of touches and is closed down. So frustrating.

 

[wonnie]

He didn't really create anything but looked more of a threat than compared to most games last season. Seems to be taking on his man more atleast.

Should be used more often at full back instead of Smalling though.

 

[Melvyn]

Wasn't a case of where is he going to cross the ball into, it was which part of Vertonghen will he hit next.

 

[DevilRed]

Back to his old self today but was unlucky to have vertonghen get his long leg onto a couple of his crosses. Like the way he is aggressively attacking the fullback and running with the ball.

 

[Massive Spanner]

I can't tell if you're intentionally being thick. Spurs defending his crosses doesn't mean he wasn't creating chances or being a threat in attack.

If Kagawa kept on slipping through balls to Rooney which were cut out by Dawson, then you would still say he was being threatening and creative. He was just defended well against.

No I wouldn't.

Him being shit at crossing the ball today was not due to Spurs defending against his crosses really well, it was due to his crossing being shite.

To threaten in football you surely have to actually create something with the football!

No Cina, the logic in here is that only because he's been shite last season, means he's been shite again this time round and that every good game is a one off (like vs Bayer). In reality, he's had loads of good and decent games this season and should be quite low on the list when we're trying to find excuses for our erratic attacking play so far.

No, he created sweet feck all today, this season he's had a few good games, no doubt, like midweek. Nothing consistent though.

 

[RonaldoVII]

He did well at beating his man but can't remember many of his crosses going anywhere. Needs to pick a man out instead of trying to hit the ball as hard as he can.

 

[Summit]

His dribbling and link up play today was great and he was really looking the part. Then comes the crossing and it was well below anything we needed from him. He just hit the ball into the defenders legs every time he attempted to cross the ball. I'm wondering why every game he is choosing this failed method of delivery time and time again? Granted he is no Beckham, but surely he could bend the ball round the defender into the box?

 

[Theon]

No I wouldn't.

Him being shit at crossing the ball today was not due to Spurs defending against his crosses really well, it was due to his crossing being shite.

To threaten in football you surely have to actually create something with the football!

Fair enough, we view things differently then!

For example I think Valencia was far more threatening than Welbeck today, despite Welbeck winning the penalty.

 

[Orton]

If rooney can stay back at training working on set pieces, then Valencia can stay back and work on using his weak foot and crossing the ball properly with his right one.

 

[2 man midfield]

Fair enough, we view things differently then!

For example I think Valencia was far more threatening than Welbeck today, despite Welbeck winning the penalty.

I would say they were both average and offered no threat from wide. Kagawa offered no threat through the middle either, meaning yet again it was lump it/hope for Rooney/RvP magic. But that's another discussion.

 

[DevilRed]

If rooney can stay back at training working on set pieces, then Valencia can stay back and work on using his weak foot and crossing the ball properly with his right one.

Cleverley can stay back and work on just about everything too.

 

[Kag]

At the moment, Valencia has this weird nack of looking as if he's playing very well, yet when you think about how often he's had the ball and how often he did nothing with it, do you realise that he was infact useless.

 

[Summit]

No I wouldn't.

Him being shit at crossing the ball today was not due to Spurs defending against his crosses really well, it was due to his crossing being shite.

To threaten in football you surely have to actually create something with the football!

Agree with this. Valencia seems lost when a defender is stood in front of him and always chooses to blast the ball low into someones legs. What he really should be doing is trying to mix it up by bending the ball around the right back and that way it will give the defender something to think about! If he mixed it up, every now and again one of those low crosses might work.

 

[Theon]

I would say they were both average and offered no threat from wide. Kagawa offered no threat through the middle either, meaning yet again it was lump it/hope for Rooney/RvP magic. But that's another discussion.

Valencia definitely offered a threat, come on. He was beating players all game and getting into dangerous positions - that is threatening. His crossing was poor but a lot of that was down to good defending, as well as just being a shit crosser.

 

[Summit]

Spot on.

His crossing was poor but he was a threat all game. He was better than both Kagawa or Welbeck and was our most likely source of a chance in the first half.

I agree to him playing well regarding dribbling and link up play etc...but that isn't just why he's in the team! In fact I would go as far to say that the most important reason he is in the team is consistently deliver great balls into the box for our attackers to get on the end. And I'm sorry to say he is failing miserably in that department.

 

[2 man midfield]

Valencia definitely offered a threat, come on. He was beating players all game and getting into dangerous positions - that is threatening. His crossing was poor but a lot of that was down to good defending, as well as just being a shit crosser.

No, that's threatening to be threatening. He failed with the end product, time after time.