[Mike09]

My memory is fine, you and I have varying interpretations of decent.

The one to Lukaku today was a quality cross actually.

 

[LeftyBlaster]

Today to Lukaku.

What a memory you have.

If that's your definition of a good cross, you have mightily low standards.

 

[Rossa]

Thought he was good today. When he drives forward, he’s either going to get past the defender or get a free kick. Why not do it more?

 

[el3mel]

Decent game but second half Richarlison had a lot of fun in his side.

 

[Sigma]

Thought he was good today. When he drives forward, he’s either going to get past the defender or get a free kick. Why not do it more?

I thought he found himself in offensive positions quite a lot today. For example if Lingard passed to him instead of Young, he would have been through on goal (not that I'm complaining, since Young scored). Dribbled with the ball a few times very well, getting us up the pitch. Defensively he was solid again.

 

[Dobba]

Decent game but second half Richarlison had a lot of fun in his side.

Richarlison looks a player. Don't think many fullbacks will get an easy night of it if they're up against him.

 

[Rossa]

I thought he found himself in offensive positions quite a lot today. For example if Lingard passed to him instead of Young, he would have been through on goal (not that I'm complaining, since Young scored). Dribbled with the ball a few times very well, getting us up the pitch. Defensively he was solid again.

Agree with this, which is why I think he should attack more. He was pissed off not receiving the ball!

 

[Rossa]

Richarlison looks a player. Don't think many fullbacks will get an easy night of it if they're up against him.

In truth, it was only towards the end of the match, and he didn’t really get past Valencia much. He either used the space Valencia left or crossed early. Richarlison is quite inventive, so will be hard to defend against all match.

 

[Devil may care]

So good surging runs tonight, got into a couple of good positions and had no one to cross it to.

 

[Yorkeontop]

Come on Tony V baby, you see Ashley out there playing like it's 2009. Why don't you turn the clock back as well? I know you got it in you.

 

[VorZakone]

Has he ever lost a physical 50/50 in the past few years? He's an absolute tank. I wanna see him go toe-to-toe against Kolasinac.

 

[FC Ronaldo]

 

[Minimalist]

Take it all back Tony. You're excellent.

 

[pseudo_canadian]

I fecking love this man.

 

[Dobba]

He's a fecking beast.

 

[FC Ronaldo]

Duracell bunny doesn’t have sh*t on him.

 

[Rossa]

What a performance! Too bad for him that DDG was God today

 

[el3mel]

Delicious goal and very solid today.

 

[Devil may care]

Good to see him get on the score sheet and I thought he did pretty well against Sanchez.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Go back to that Arsenal FA Cup QF game where he cost us 2 goals at RB under LvG in 2015. He’s improved immensely and made this position his own.

 

[izec]

Terminator

 

[LuisNaniencia]

You'll notice several posters won't comment today but will be back with a vengeance when he has a poor game.

 

[AR87]

The wingback role suits him even better than RB. He got forward with aplomb today, even making several dangerous runs forward when we were down a man. Back to his best it seems.

 

[Rossa]

You'll notice several posters won't comment today but will be back with a vengeance when he has a poor game.

This is far too true.

 

[K2K]

You'll notice several posters won't comment today but will be back with a vengeance when he has a poor game.

Not to be taken seriously at this point.

 

[hn4manunited]

Consistently dependable!

 

[K2K]

Defensive rock.

That part of his game is greatly underrated by many.

 

[Rossa]

He plays great against Arsenal, and it’s almost like a mausoleum in here. Where are all the pseudo intellectuals discussing how we need a more intelligent fullback?

 

[Rossa]

Fourth best rb in the world according to ESPN. According to the Caf, he’s shite. Go figure.

 

[Womp]

He's great defensively, but from an offensive standpoint I really don't think he's that good. I use to think he was, because the quality of our fullbacks was just woeful, but Young has shown us what a difference a proper offensive fullback can make.

 

[Rossa]

He's great defensively, but from an offensive standpoint I really don't think he's that good. I use to think he was, because the quality of our fullbacks was just woeful, but Young has shown us what a difference a proper offensive fullback can make.

Valencia is great at bringing the ball out from defense and initiating attacks, far superior to Young. In that regard he reminds me of Evra. Great at build up play and is often involved in goals, but too seldom does he score or assist.

 

[Acole9]

He's a machine. Always been a fan of his even when he had poor seasons.

 

[Womp]

Valencia is great at bringing the ball out from defense and initiating attacks, far superior to Young. In that regard he reminds me of Evra. Great at build up play and is often involved in goals, but too seldom does he score or assist.

His delivery is shocking though and he seldom beats a player if he doesn't have space in behind. Young can. Young is also smarter when it comes to link-up play etc. I'm taking nothing away from him mind, he's a warrior and one of my favorite players in the squad. That being said, his ability to run at defenders and cause havoc turned to shite in SAF's last season. If I had to choose between Young and Valencia to beat a player from a standing position, I'd put my money on Young.

Fullbacks should be getting involved in goals and assists, especially in today's game and especially given how we play. We have no proper width so the wings are basically all theirs, they should be contributing in that aspect.

I just don't think neither Young or Valencia are the way forward for us. They're very good options, but they're no Marcelo, Sandro etc. The top teams have top players in that position. Not to add they're both at an age where their performances are only going to decline. Young is extremely injury prone and Valencia supposedly plays with a constant knee injury.

 

[Sigma]

Valencia is great at bringing the ball out from defense and initiating attacks, far superior to Young. In that regard he reminds me of Evra. Great at build up play and is often involved in goals, but too seldom does he score or assist.

Yep, agree with this.

 

[LuisNaniencia]

His delivery is shocking though and he seldom beats a player if he doesn't have space in behind. Young can. Young is also smarter when it comes to link-up play etc. I'm taking nothing away from him mind, he's a warrior and one of my favorite players in the squad. That being said, his ability to run at defenders and cause havoc turned to shite in SAF's last season. If I had to choose between Young and Valencia to beat a player from a standing position, I'd put my money on Young.

Fullbacks should be getting involved in goals and assists, especially in today's game and especially given how we play. We have no proper width so the wings are basically all theirs, they should be contributing in that aspect.

His crossing isn't great granted but he has 2 goals this season, one an absolute worldy. Not sure any right backs scored more this season?

 

[Sigma]

His delivery is shocking though and he seldom beats a player if he doesn't have space in behind. Young can. Young is also smarter when it comes to link-up play etc. I'm taking nothing away from him mind, he's a warrior and one of my favorite players in the squad. That being said, his ability to run at defenders and cause havoc turned to shite in SAF's last season. If I had to choose between Young and Valencia to beat a player from a standing position, I'd put my money on Young.

Fullbacks should be getting involved in goals and assists, especially in today's game and especially given how we play. We have no proper width so the wings are basically all theirs, they should be contributing in that aspect.

Young is better at crossing, but Valencia's crossing isn't as bad as everyone says it is. It's OK, not great, not terrible. Valencia's link up play is great normally, great first touch, very reliable passer (for example, lots of accurate passes down the channels) and obvisouly his physically make him a very important cog in the team. When he wants to dribble, he can still pass a player, but he needs space to run into. For some reason sometimes he seems reluctant to dribble, but hopefully he can do more in the future. He's also proven this season that he has a great shot on him.

 

[Womp]

His crossing isn't great granted but he has 2 goals this season, one an absolute worldy. Not sure any right backs scored more this season?

He also hasn't registered a single assist in any competition all season, though. We can't rely on him to score Worldies consistently.

 

[Dobbs]

Defensive rock.

That part of his game is greatly underrated by many.

Nah. His defensive game is widely accepted as being very good. Anybody who differs is in a serious minority.

 

[MadMike]

His crossing isn't great granted but he has 2 goals this season, one an absolute worldy. Not sure any right backs scored more this season?

That feels like picking on a particular isolated statistic, one that fullbacks tend to not have high numbers of, and using it as an argument to prove he's good going forward. Yes he has two goals, but as @Womp said he has no assists. Let's look at other fullbacks....

Moses is on 1 goal 2 assists, Trent Alexander-Arnold on 2 goals 1 assist, Walker is on 5 assists, Trippier is on 7 (!) assists, Azpilicueta 2 goals 5 assists... That's just looking at right sided players. You start looking at left backs too and Marcos Alonso (3g, 1a), Kolasinac (3g, 4a), Ben Davies (2g, 2a) and even our own Young (2g, 4a) who only recently switched to playing fullback, outperform him.

And that's not just using statistics for statistics sake. It's backing up what we observe with our eyes. That Valencia quite often in an advanced position will dally on the ball, slow the tempo, hesitate to take a defender on and then smash a low cross against his shins. That he doesn't really offer the kind of outlet that worries the opposition like the aforementioned players do.

He has energy, passion, he's an uncompromising tackler, a good defender and yes, I like him too. He's by no means a bad player. But the reality is, considering the team he plays for and the opportunities he has to contribute to the attack, that he doesn't do it anywhere near enough... or well enough.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

He also hasn't registered a single assist in any competition all season, though. We can't rely on him to score Worldies consistently.

I think only Walker got more assists than him last season so I wouldn’t get hung up on that particular stats. He’s put plenty of decent crosses in this season, that’s for sure.