[Lou-is Red]

Did very well today, looked a lot better than he has in recent appearences

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Best game he's had for us in a long while. It's a position that suits his strengths... it requires a good first touch, short simple passing, and the ability to get stuck-in/break up play... and he can drift out to the right whenever he needs too.

 

[montpelier]

Did really well.

 

[Massive Spanner]

Best game he's had for us in a long while. It's a position that suits his strengths... it requires a good first touch, short simple passing, and the ability to get stuck-in/break up play... and he can drift out to the right whenever he needs too.

LvG is edging him closer and closer to the holding midfield role that we've been crying out for for a long time. I think it's clear that we're geniuses.

 

[freshibal]

Was actually happy to see him put in a good performance today. This role appears to suit him, lets see if it carries on.

 

[Rado_N]

I thought he was better than normal but I certainly wouldn't say he did 'very well'.

I never feel like he's going to progress our play at all, and when he's moving up the pitch you never expect him to actually produce anything.

He gave away a number of silly fouls, and too often received the ball from Rafael and just gave it him back rather than spreading play.

I just feel like he doesn't really add anything to the team anymore.

 

[PvsNP]

Solid performance from him today. Hopefully, he will continue to play like this.

 

[Sied]

He was a great stand in for Herrera but he's obviously not going to be pinching his spot.

Did I see someone saying Valencia plays in this same role for Ecuador? He certainly seemed comfortable there. More so than I expected for a man who normally looks homesick if he strays more than 10ft from the side line.

 

[starman]

Like most i think hes perfect for this right side role in the diamond, he can cut through midfield and keep hold of the ball. His defensive duties are top notch too.

I'll be blunt when Herrera was injured i was worried who we would put there but think Valencia can play that role well.

Valencia does really balance the midfield out. We have two cms, in Valencia and Di Maria that can fan out and give us width. Herrara on top the diamond is probably the best option as he is technically astute as Mata but is capable of dropping in when needed.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

LvG is edging him closer and closer to the holding midfield role that we've been crying out for for a long time. I think it's clear that we're geniuses.

It's true. After today, I have never been more convinced by our collective brilliance.

 

[Americano]

I was less satisfied with his performance, today he stood out for me as less talented than the players around him.

 

[Pexbo]

Looking at the size of the guy, I actually think he's a bit of a gym addict who needs to stop bulking and get into a better shape for football. He's too big up top these days and there's no doubting it hinders his agility.

 

[charlenefan]

He did ok but his passing compared to the likes of Di Maria and even Bind at times showed how he's a level below those

 

[montpelier]

He was absolutely fine. What game were people watching here?

Usually passed it to a red shirt - linked well with Raf, positionally good, competitive - maybe a lack of defence splitting passes, yes I suppose their was. Thought he was our 3rd/4th best player after DDG, Rafael, & NotDanny Blind

 

[Joga Bonito]

Put it a good performance and a good shift today. On the basis of this performance alone, I would place him above Fletcher and Fellaini for the right midfield role in the diamond. Fletcher has lost his engine and his physicality which were integral aspects of his game while Fellaini just runs around like a headless chicken. Not sure what Fellaini brings to the table here tbh.

Valencia has excellent work-rate, is good at retaining the ball with his neat and tidy passing whilst also having pace/mobility which is vital to play in a diamond. He doesn't really have the technique and expansive passing that is required but he does have far more creative midfielders around him and he is just a back-up player anyway. Just needs to cut down on the incessant fouling but his physicality in the centre of pitch is most certainly welcome esp with Blind, Di Maria and Mata around him today. Great decision by LVG to start him there ahead of the more orthodox and conventional midfielders, so kudos to him.

 

[Sir A1ex]

I was less satisfied with his performance, today he stood out for me as less talented than the players around him.

I agree with this, he stood out like a saw thumb. Was genuinely unhappy every time he got the ball because, as usual, 50% of the time that was the end of the move. And he gave away the free kick that they scored from. On the odd occasion he got forwards down the right wing he STILL hits it into the first shin he sees - it's like it's some kind of art project or something.

Wasn't his worst performance in recent times, but that says more about what consistent dross he churns out than being any kind of compliment.

 

[Jagga7]

I was less satisfied with his performance, today he stood out for me as less talented than the players around him.

It's true you could see the difference between him and rest of the team with the ball but he made up for it with his pace and strength. He did his defensive duties diligently and also on a few occasions he broke with the ball and carried us up the field with his speed. He played it simple in possession and I though he did well today and definitely a good replacement for Herrera.

 

[acnumber9]

I agree with this, he stood out like a saw thumb. Was genuinely unhappy every time he got the ball because, as usual, 50% of the time that was the end of the move. And he gave away the free kick that they scored from. On the odd occasion he got forwards down the right wing he STILL hits it into the first shin he sees - it's like it's some kind of art project or something.

Wasn't his worst performance in recent times, but that says more about what consistent dross he churns out than being any kind of compliment.

Apart from when we scored the second goal obviously.

 

[Robbie Boy]

He done better than what I've become accustomed to from him. But still not good enough.

 

[Sir A1ex]

Apart from when we scored the second goal obviously.

Eh?

 

[acnumber9]

Eh?

If you watched a player objectively you'd know what I'm talking about. He'd a very important part to play in our second goal. Better to focus on him conceeding a free kick that wasn't defended properly though.

 

[krazyrobus]

Holy shit, Valencia has lowered the standards of expectations so much that now a 6/10 performance is now a good performance. He was nothing more than average, flowing moves broke down through him, he still hit the player's shins the 1 chance he got to cross, cut in a few times and should have chanced his booming shot on one of the occasions. Nothing to write home about and to describe him as a good replacement for AH is absurd because he is bringing about half of what AH is bringing to the table.

 

[krazyrobus]

If you watched a player objectively you'd know what I'm talking about. He'd a very important part to play in our second goal. Better to focus on him conceeding a free kick that wasn't defended properly though.

Passed the ball 15 yards to his left to ADM, is that a "very" important part? Seriously?

 

[acnumber9]

Passed the ball 15 yards to his left to ADM, is that a "very" important part? Seriously?

Picked the ball up with a defender at him, went past him and picked out the right pass into the players run. Yeah I'd say he played an important part in the goal.

 

[Nighteyes]

He was ok in a good way though he still managed to squeeze in his "smash the ball against the full back" routine. Better at option that Fletcher or Fellaini.

 

[krazyrobus]

Picked the ball up with a defender at him, went past him and picked out the right pass into the players run. Yeah I'd say he played an important part in the goal.

Forgot about the move past his nearest man, ok that was good. The pass was pretty standard, ADM was his only option.

 

[caisenma]

Holy shit, Valencia has lowered the standards of expectations so much that now a 6/10 performance is now a good performance. He was nothing more than average, flowing moves broke down through him, he still hit the player's shins the 1 chance he got to cross, cut in a few times and should have chanced his booming shot on one of the occasions. Nothing to write home about and to describe him as a good replacement for AH is absurd because he is bringing about half of what AH is bringing to the table.

Precisely.

 

[acnumber9]

Forgot about the move past his nearest man, ok that was good. The pass was pretty standard, ADM was his only option.

The point being it was done quickly and making the right decision to allow us to capitalise on the fact Everton still hadn't got their shape from Howard's mistake. It's not really fair to ignore the good he did for our goal and concentrate on him giving away a free kick in a relatively harmless position.

 

[khoazany]

Holy shit, Valencia has lowered the standards of expectations so much that now a 6/10 performance is now a good performance. He was nothing more than average, flowing moves broke down through him, he still hit the player's shins the 1 chance he got to cross, cut in a few times and should have chanced his booming shot on one of the occasions. Nothing to write home about and to describe him as a good replacement for AH is absurd because he is bringing about half of what AH is bringing to the table.

This.

 

[itso 7]

Played well enough to stake a claim as cover to Herrera in that position. Another thing is he has made himself an option for the bigger games where we could put Herrera in the No.10 role, push Rooney forward beside Falcao/RVP, to have more solidity in midfield. Should cut down on the unnecessary fouls though.

 

[krazyrobus]

The point being it was done quickly and making the right decision to allow us to capitalise on the fact Everton still hadn't got their shape from Howard's mistake. It's not really fair to ignore the good he did for our goal and concentrate on him giving away a free kick in a relatively harmless position.

I agree that the free kick was nothing much, conceeding a free kickt 35 yards is nit picking. Any resulting goal is less a player's fault and more a team's fault.

As for the contribution, sure, given his choices to either just head it under pressure, turn and trap it back to goal, he did make a good choice.

 

[Americano]

It's true you could see the difference between him and rest of the team with the ball but he made up for it with his pace and strength. He did his defensive duties diligently and also on a few occasions he broke with the ball and carried us up the field with his speed. He played it simple in possession and I though he did well today and definitely a good replacement for Herrera.

I agree with you, he offered some quality. It was a reasonable, professional performance. And realistically, he won't be starting much when others are healthy.

It's just when I think of Woodward's vision for this team, and the way he is building a dominant and explosive attacking side, Valencia is holding us back from reaching that level. His peak performances are a fading memory and the rest of the league has him figured out.

 

[The Azzurri]

He should now be be restricted to:

- just a sub appearance in a situation where we are holding onto a lead and not expected to score goals

and

- a central midfield role like today where his main duties are not to assist the forwards.

 

[Hernandez - BFA]

Think the first few comments that bumped this thread are a little harsh.

He did well. Effective performance in that role. He may not be United quality, but he can definitely be a good squad player for us.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

Thought he did well today, good tenacity in defense and provided adequate cover for Rafael, which is all we expected of him. There were a couple of occasions where he could have added more around the box but you fully expect him to smash one into Baines' back anyways.

 

[Kraftwerker]

I think he's well suited to that role. He's sensible in possession, can inject a bit of pace from midfield, and obviously works hard and tracks back well.

Still the King of winning corners by thumping it into the defender's legs.

 

[noodlehair]

Thought he did ok with the general midfield groundwork. Was less surprised he was included over Fletcher after the game than I was before it. He was still too aprehensive when he had space to go forwards into though. His power and pace suits him well in that role, but the Valencia of a few years ago would have had an absolute field day and ripped Everton to shreds with the amount of space he was being given.

 

[bugmat]

So a guy who provides nothing offensively feck up two fouls in the space of a minute, the last of which results in a goal against means he's had a good game?

The guy is a joke.

He had our most interceptions at 6 (this is usually a high start for defenders not CMs) had our second most attacking dribbles(2) and key passes(1 which allowed the ADM shot that falcao turned in) and hag an 82% passing accuracy all in a position he normally doesn't play for us. Ì am sure apart from the 2 fouls you can't see pass, he would have been high on or successful tackles chart as he was always pressing and tackling.

Also helped shuttle the ball from danger areas in our half to theirs including that time he ran the whole field and then got his cross blocked for a corner to us.

You do the math.

 

[bugmat]

We struggled when he came off. Baines was giving us serious problems and Fellaini was nowhere near him.

This is true. Fellaini just lacks mobility. Anderson would be the better sub

 

[Fahad Jawaid]

I don't think this guy is good enough to be starting games for us at the wings, and i have been highly critical of him, but i thought today he was brilliant at the task assigned to him, he isn't a Cm, so i didn't expect him to be receiving balls from Cb's and starting attacks which his positioned required him to do, but i have no complains from him and he was excellent defensively, he is a good squad player capable of filling in multiple positions. I actually think if we don't have Carrick back for the match against Chelsea, Him, Blind and Herrera would be perfect defensively in the Diamond with ADM in the hole, Falcao and Rvp ahead as Rooney would be suspended.