[Ainu]

I don't really hold him at fault for the goal. His cross was poor and uninspired but shit happens, that's no reason for our midfield and defence to fall apart on the counter. I appreciate the ridiculous amount of work he puts in, he's absolutely tireless. But it's clear he offers nothing going forward. He can't cross to save his life and most of the time he just runs with the ball only to wait until the opposition defender is in place to block him. Despite his pace he slows every attack down.

Having said all that, the responsibility isn't just with him. He never really seems to have a partner on that wing, he's left to cover it entirely on his own, back to front. I'm not sure it's realistic to ask him to put in the defensive and attacking work usually done by two players on his own and still expect good end product. Can we even replace him by another player who can do all of that?

 

[Rossa]

I'm a big Valencia fan as I like his no nonsense approach and his hard work. However, he's been quite bad these last few games. He improved in the second half. Whenever he ran at Alonso, he either got past him or was awarded a free kick. I just don't understand why he doesn't do this more often.

What really annoys me though is this place. Whenever a player over 30 has a poor game, he is past it and/or there is a physical decline. We've heard it about Ronaldo for about 4 seasons in a row. Valencia as well. After the leg break, he apparantly lost a lot of speed, but that run against Liverpool was after the incident. Out pacing everybody's favourite, Sane, was last season. To me, he looks just about as quick and mobile as he did a few seasons back, but he's lost some agility and acceleration from a standstill. Lately, it looks like he has played with a bit of an injury. He looks reluctant to go on forward runs and only sprints when the ball is in behind him in defense. Considering Darmian is his back up on the right, I can understand Mourinho for picking an out of form, or with niggling injuries, Valencia ahead.

As for the goal yesterday - when we start blaming the crosser for a bad/cleared cross on the 18 yard opposition box for the ensuing goal, where are really reaching. Pogba, McTominay, Young?, and DDG are at fault for that one.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

I thought he was really good. Was up and down the wing constantly, offered us a lot of width in the second half, and his touch was magnificent.

 

[Lawman]

I thought he was really good. Was up and down the wing constantly, offered us a lot of width in the second half, and his touch was magnificent.

Always is easily the best alongside Mata at the club.

 

[LeftyBlaster]

Please sign a new right back. We are woeful trying to put on the hurt from the right side.

 

[Sigma]

Please sign a new right back. We are woeful trying to put on the hurt from the right side.

I don't really understand the line of thinking that says because we are poor when attacking down the right, we should sign a defender not an attacker.

 

[Cliche Guevara]

I don't really understand the line of thinking that says because we are poor when attacking down the right, we should sign a defender not an attacker.

This is the issue.

I still think Valencia is a terrific right-back. Problem is, the way this team plays it’s an integral part of our attacking armoury and requires someone who can cross effectively.

Something has to give with either a top class winger or top class right back coming in.

 

[LeftyBlaster]

I don't really understand the line of thinking that says because we are poor when attacking down the right, we should sign a defender not an attacker.

And the best teams all have competent attacking fullbacks who can contribute on offence. Valencia is predictable and one dimensional. And of late, his decision making has been shit.

 

[bond19821982]

If we have a good right winger - like Beckham - he would make a beast of a attacking right back . Now that he is supposed to control entire right side, his attacking contributions becomes very limited and it gets highlighted very easily .

 

[Varun]

I don't really understand the line of thinking that says because we are poor when attacking down the right, we should sign a defender not an attacker.

We are 100% reliant on our RB for width on the right flank.

 

[Adisa]

He's not really the force of nature he once was.
There's been talk he requires surgery on his ankle.
Think ankle surgery might kill him at the highest level.

 

[Sigma]

And the best teams all have competent attacking fullbacks who can contribute on offence. Valencia is predictable and one dimensional. And of late, his decision making has been shit.

Contribute, yes. No be the right back AND the right winger.

We are 100% reliant on our RB for width on the right flank.

Exactly why we need a right winger.

 

[Varun]

Contribute, yes. No be the right back AND the right winger.


Exactly why we need a right winger.

Many ways to skin the cat, depends on how we want to setup. If we're looking for our attackers to operate narrower, the width has to come from both FBs, its not a problem.

 

[Apokalips]

I like Valencia, but fact is he makes us stagnant and predictable down that side at times. Even with an RW out there, he'd overlap and then a) stop, stand still stamping his foot trying to fake the defender before running forward stopping and doing so again, b) stop, do his stamping fake and then pass it back to a CM/CB or whoever and if all else fails smash a cross into someone's shin.

He's been a great servant and still offers a fair amount, but I think we need an upgrade.

 

[MadDogg]

That first half was extremely strange. Half the time he was in a good position, but the pass out to him either didn't come or was massively overhit. The other half the time the ball out to him should have been perfect, but he was stood 10 metres further back than where he should have been so didn't manage to get to it.

No idea what he was doing on the second goal. He was covering his man, then suddenly decided to completely leave him and go to stand in front of the freekick. Unsurprisingly the freekick was quickly played to the man he'd just completely left in miles of empty space and he went and slotted it home.

 

[Rossa]

Poor game from him. Strangely, it seems he is more productive when playing poorly. Nice cross for Smalling’s goal.

 

[Bwuk]

Legs have gone.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

Poor player, and it’s ridiculous that he’s our captain. Offers very little going forward which considering he used to be a winger is unforgivable.

 

[acnumber9]

Legs have gone.

He definitely doesn’t have the engine for it anymore. Which is to be expected really.

 

[LuisNaniencia]

Poor player, and it’s ridiculous that he’s our captain. Offers very little going forward which considering he used to be a winger is unforgivable.

Calm down.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

Assist of redemption. Other than that, horrible.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

That first half was extremely strange. Half the time he was in a good position, but the pass out to him either didn't come or was massively overhit. The other half the time the ball out to him should have been perfect, but he was stood 10 metres further back than where he should have been so didn't manage to get to it.

Pogba and Sanchez cross field passes to him today is rubbish, way off. I find it funny though, as if the ball is repelling flowing away from him.

 

[Devil may care]

Good ball for the assist, other than that he was ok.

 

[el3mel]

Think it's criminal he got his first assist of the season in March. Ok performance defensively but offensively he's disappointing.

 

[Cutch]

I actually thought he was the only one putting up a fight in the first half. Everyone else was playing like absolute fannies. Overall he was ok. I would like an upgrade though to give us more of a spark going forward

 

[R'hllor]

Sorry i dont rate him at all as RB, i mean ex RW being not that good in offensive sense. Breaking other people ankles, "Jesus take the wheel" type of crosses in most situations. In defensive sense, his positions for offside traps are really poor and there are some other issues here and there. He is being so rated here that not sure how rated would be proper RBs of this world if they were playing for us.

 

[fellaini's barber]

Think it's criminal he got his first assist of the season in March. Ok performance defensively but offensively he's disappointing.

Wow, march ffs

 

[17Larsson]

Luke Shaw has three assists in the premier league in his career. I just saw that stat.

Valencia has 46 which is a lot in fairness. This season he just hasn't been creating much for some reason

 

[Web of Bissaka]

I actually thought he was the only one putting up a fight in the first half. Everyone else was playing like absolute fannies. Overall he was ok. I would like an upgrade though to give us more of a spark going forward

Yeap, our only fighter first half. Performance in both half are not in sync with his great fighting spirit though.

The rest just either crumbles under pressure or insist on playing fancy stylish football.

I think he gave Alexis a bollocking first half.

 

[Canagel]

Legs have gone.

This is my big worry too. He is 33 soon and has played nonstop for the last 2/3 seasons now. It's been very evident over the last couple of weeks though. Second to everything and before he used to have the pace to recover from his mistakes but that's starting to go as well. Will need to be replaced soon.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

Legs have gone.

It's becoming more apparent though sadly, but nevertheless good times. He have served the club well. I enjoy supporting him, interesting progress as a player. Exciting player. Worthy contender for our GOAT RB.

EDIT: The f did I just wrote.

 

[RedSky]

Poor game from him. Strangely, it seems he is more productive when playing poorly. Nice cross for Smalling’s goal.

As MadDogg pointed out, some of the balls being played to Valencia were garbage though. He certainly didn't have the best of games today but it felt at times like the footballing gods had cursed our 'wing' play in the first half. Either the balls out to them were terrible or they were ignored. I was screaming at them to play it wide.

Correctly taken off though and we really should be trying to bring in a new RB this summer to give him some proper rotation.

 

[ti vu]

Overall both bad and good in one game. I wondered what was he doing in our 2nd conceded goal? The ref fecked us. I can understand, but why he was jogging centrally instead of tracking back toward his position. If he did so, I reckon he would have spotted CP left back instead of letting our right right completely went to sleep

 

[elmo]

It's becoming more apparent though sadly, but nevertheless good times. He have served the club well. I enjoy supporting him, interesting progress as a player. Exciting player. Worthy contender for our GOAT RB.

He’s nowhere near the quality of Neville and Irwin.

 

[Sylar]

It's becoming more apparent though sadly, but nevertheless good times. He have served the club well. I enjoy supporting him, interesting progress as a player. Exciting player. Worthy contender for our GOAT RB.

Sure, if you started watching from 2004 onwards.

 

[Sunny Jim]

Luke Shaw has three assists in the premier league in his career. I just saw that stat.

Valencia has 46 which is a lot in fairness. This season he just hasn't been creating much for some reason

How many of those 46 came from right wing position and how many from full back position?

 

[ivaldo]

It's becoming more apparent though sadly, but nevertheless good times. He have served the club well. I enjoy supporting him, interesting progress as a player. Exciting player. Worthy contender for our GOAT RB.

What?

 

[Web of Bissaka]

Eh wait did I just put GOAT? Muh bad, caught in the emotional moment I guess and half- sleepy. G In the 2000s, though the only other good contender is G. Nev.

 

[Jaxa]

Doesn't it infuriate people when someone in midfield has the ball and look's to the right and there's just this massive open space while Valencia is as far back as bloody De Gea ? I don't know if it's Mourinho instructing him to do so or not but my god try venturing forward and at least give the team an option !

City and Liverpool's flank player's give them such an outlet while our's just sit so deep but I guess that say's more about the team currently than anything else.

 

[Devil may care]

Accidentally posted this in Martials thread.

As is common now he didn't offer much in attack but his agression and protection of the ball were important.