Maybe not but we are. Comparing Nani to Valencia playing at wing back is pointless.
25
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 35
- Clean sheets
- 12
- Goals
- 0
- Assists
- 5
- Yellow cards
- 4
I thought he looked very good on Sunday. I still don't think he's any kind of long-term answer, but that reminded me of the 2011-12 version of Valencia. I even think he used his left foot a couple of times.
I wasn't really. I was saying that people are overrating Valencia's performances in terms of offensive play. If we want to hurt the opposition on the flanks we need someone better. Formations aside
Not great, but a really good squad player, always committed, runs non stop, and physically a beast, if only he had the footballing intelligence along with that pace, another plus, is hes barely ever injured
Has done excellent since that ankle break against Rangers, it was a horrible injury.
Showed just what a machine he is when that break happened, he stayed calm and in control, looked like he was just saying "shit this hurts" like when you stub your toe or something, not completely break your ankle.
Q.P.R. 0:2 Man Utd
Throw-ins, those fecking throw-ins.Making Clint fecking Hill look like Maldini
Works hard like a coal miner without a flashlight.
Very good game from him today.
Brilliant player up to the final 3rd then refuses to take his man on now a days even though he is one v one 20 yards from the byeline.
Maybe someone should explain it to him that it is physically impossible to cross the ball through a player. Defensively he was perfect.
Nice composed assist which lead to the goal.
Out of all our players he has the ball the most. Which highlights why we create so little. We are desperate for world class wing backs. Alvez in his prime, or even Coleman would do us wonders.
Played very well today.
Played well today? Wtf are you lot watching? Do we get points for bashing balls into opponents ankles?
The least technically gifted player on our team, and it is ridiculous that we still have to see him play after three years of mostly poor performances.
The least technically gifted player on our team, and it is ridiculous that we still have to see him play after three years of mostly poor performances.
I thought he was solid/average. It's a shame that Rafael can't get any run of games because his level is clearly higher than Valencia's.
Valencia needs to watch how one paced Daley Blind manages to whip in crosses. Valencia only has his bash against the fullback and the cutback to the top of the box in his arsenal and it is painful to watch.
Someone needs to tell him how to throw the ball too.
If it is, he needs to show it on a football pitch. Not in people's memories.
Played pretty well I thought. Solid defensively and unlike earlier in the season, he now holds the defensive line much much better
I thought he was good. Looking more confident and solid each week.
Thought he had a very good game as well, another assist, 5 for the season playing wing back or fullback really. People criticizing him just dislike him really because of his last few years but this season he has been pretty consistent with his good performances. He's getting past players, is a lot better defensively and is arguably the most reliable player on the ball to keep hold of it and run with it. His crossing is poor for the most part, but that's a mix of him hitting the defenders or just nobody reading the cross.
Certainly not this season
I know, because he hasn't been able to play, as I referenced when I said he had injuries.
Rafael's been considerably worse than Valencia this season whenever he has played though. So long as that continues he will be a bit part player, at best.
I think when he got back from his first injury he put a decent block of form together that was better than anything Valencia has shown as a RB/RWB. He was unfairly criticised after the Leicester match. Since then though it's been a bit stop-start and Valencia has been better definitely.
I thought the Leicester criticism was fair tbh but yeah, maybe he was good in the very early part of the season. I honestly can't remember. Been fairly crap in all his more recent games though. Needs to get his act together, pronto, or he'll be gone in the summer.
We all love Rafael, it was awesome to see him bounce back after the 5-3 game - He was terrific against West Ham. However, since then he's shown he's no different from our center backs in terms of injuries (He's had 20 of them since 2011) and has been defensively very suspect when on the pitch. Full backs tend to be rotated much lesser than other players, and the fact that Rafael is neither reliable in terms of injuries nor his defensive duties (Certainly in the eyes of LVG, not in the eyes of a lot of fans either) does not bode for him very well. He did improve a lot in 2012-13, but well- since then, he's unfortunately just not been good enough/fit enough. I understand he lends more fluency to our game than Valencia, and I love his tenacity on the pitch- but he tends to make those mistakes.
Antonio Valencia, how much ever he gets slaughtered for his one dimensional crossing (rightly so) has been solid defensively. As mentioned by the poster above, as long as that continues Rafael would continue to remain bit part.
He was good in the QPR game (I think it was that one) but then again everyone was. He does need a strong finish to the season because if Valencia does keep improving then Rafael's spot comes under serious scrutiny.
The only bit of sense floating around here. One assist that one would normally expect from any winger worth his salt and he's very good? He's first impulse is to pass the ball back, can't beat a man, can't deliver a cross, and today we've seen him indecisive on a throw. He doesn't inspire fear on the wings. Zero.
He's an eyesore to watch. Absolute eyesore. He offers feck all going forward, easy cut back and all of a sudden it's a good game. He wastes so many good chances to get the ball into the box. It's beyond the joke really.
Whether it's physicality, ability or having Jones pushed right out over by him, he's not getting beaten anything like as much as last season. Done a good job from a defensive point of view.
Cambridge 0:0 Man Utd
I've just about reached breaking point with this guy. He's a sorry excuse for a footballer.
Our attack revolves around him. Can't believe it. Sign a RB now.
Can't believe Rafa sat there watching Valencia play as badly as he did. Awful. Less likely to pass someone than a stationary object.
Incredible how far he's fallen. Of course he was never a fantastic footballer, but he was never close to being this bad. Basically a speed-merchant without any actual abilities who lost his pace. A new right back (seeing as Rafael is never fit) must surely be a priority, because it's ruining a lot of our attacks.
Inept going forward.
Utterly pointless.
A good compilation of terrible controls, passes and general decisions could be made.
Why is he even on the pitch? Pathetic. Absolutely useless. All he ever does is pass it back to the person who passes him the ball. He doesn't try to run at defenders anymore. He is playing against Cambridge ffs. At least show some attacking intent. And when he does try and put in a cross in it doest even cross the first defender. Absolutely shocking he is still playing for us.